April 2015
When it comes to midweek cooking, I generally like to keep it simple. A short ingredients list, straightforward prep – and no need to give all your pans an outing. That’s probably how most of us cook on weeknights, when we don’t need spectacular, but we do want satisfying. That’s why all our Everyday recipes come with the promise that they’re easy to shop for (everything available from an average-sized supermarket), effortless – and good value too. Turn to p62 to discover your new midweek favourites. Baking, of course, can be as simple or as showy as you want it to be, and this issue offers the lot. Keep it easy with a no-knead loaf (p14), or unleash your baking diva and tackle the cruffn (p23)… we’d love to see your photos. Enjoy all your cooking this month.
Gillian Carter, Editor
James Martin’s leg of lamb with homemade pesto – p90
LEFT Joanna Blythman investigates shop-bought bakes, p33
ABOVE Three cheers for the Good Food team! We had a party to celebrate our 25th birthday. Read more about it in next month’s issue
SUBSCRIBE THIS MONTH FOR £18.99 If you take out a subscription to BBC Good Food magazine this month, you’ll receive a copy of Mary Berry’s new cookbook, Absolute Favourites. Turn to page 102 for full details of this fabulous offer.
April 2015
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Editor Gillian Carter Deputy editor Elaine Stocks Creative director Elizabeth Galbraith Art director Jonathan Whitelocke PA to Gillian Carter and Alfe Lewis Emma Bales Senior food editor Barney Desmazery Food editor Cassie Best Acting Commissioning food editor Helen Barker-Benfeld Assistant food editor Miriam Nice Cookery assistant Chelsie Collins Art editor Rachel Bayly Designer Suzette Scoble (Acting) Picture editor Tania Cagnoni Chief sub-editor Art Young Senior sub-editor Fiona Forman Staff writer Holly Brooke-Smith TV editor Kathryn Custance TV recipes Petra Jackson Speciality food consultant Henrietta Green Nutritional therapist Kerry Torrens Reader taste team CJ Jackson Wine editor Sarah Jane Evans MW Thanks to Sara Buenfeld, Lindsay Clark, Katy Gilhooly, Avigail Goodman, Gary Lockerby, Dom Martin, Tracy Muller-King, Mike Poole, Imogen Rose, Todd Slaughter Publishing director Alfe Lewis Publisher Lorna East Senior marketing and events executive Hayley Marsden Reader offer manager Liza Evans liza.evans@ immediate.co.uk Subscriptions director Jess Burney Senior direct marketing manager Emma Shooter Subscriptions marketing manager Lynn Swarbrick Digital marketing manager Phil Byles Advertising director Jason Elson Group head Display Catherine Nicolson Senior Display sales executive Rosie Bee Classifed sales executive Lloyd Meeks Regional agency sales Nicola Rearden Inserts Harry Rowland Advertising enquiries 020 7150 5044
Wow! Make this lemon meringue showstopper
Magazine editorial advisers Tam Fry Spokesman, National Obesity Forum Aisling O’Connor Commissioning Executive Daytime (BBC Television) Alison Kirkham Head of Commissioning, factual features & formats, BBC One and BBC Two Clare McGinn Head of Network Radio & Music Production, Bristol Camilla Schneideman Managing director, Leiths School of Food and Wine James Winter Series producer, Saturday Kitchen, Cactus TV BBC Worldwide, UK Publishing Director of publishing Nicholas Brett Head of publishing Chris Kerwin Executive consultant editor Orlando Murrin Publishing coordinator Eva Abramik uk.publishing@ bbc.com
This month’s Taste Team Each month, BBC Good Food readers are the first to cook some of our brand-new recipes before they appear in the magazine. We send them the recipes and pay for the ingredients; they test the dishes at home and give us their verdicts. Read their comments on our recipe pages. Jordan Sharpe, from Gloucester, has 150 cookbooks – and counting! Her top tip is to roll out pastry between two sheets of cling flm so it doesn’t stick and is easy to pick up. Ash Ward, from Nottingham, uses seasonal ingredients to cook foods from a variety of countries. Good Food’s Nutty chicken curry is the recipe that never lets him down. Laura Curry, from London, makes one-pots for big groups of friends, but will try out a new recipe if it’s a smaller group. She feels that good-quality pans make all the difference. Rebecca Stephenson, from Hull, often cooks traditional British or Italian food. She likes roast dinners with the family, and has every possible variety of flour in her storecupboard!
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Head of Print & Partnerships Nicola Shubrook Senior Partnerships executive Charlie Farr Partnerships executive Abigail Snelling Partnerships coordinator Lisa Folkson Head of production Koli Pickersgill Production manager Kate Gristwood Head of advertising services Sharon Thompson Senior ad services coordinator Sarah Barker Head of newstrade marketing Martin Hoskins Newstrade marketing manager Alison Roberts Finance Len Bright Press offce Toby Hicks Director of International Licensing & Syndication Tim Hudson Licensing & Syndication
[email protected] Chairman Stephen Alexander Deputy chairman Peter Phippen CEO Tom Bureau bbcgoodfood.com Editor Hannah Williams Health editor Roxanne Fisher Senior writer Lily Barclay Writer Natalie Hardwick Digital assistant Sarah Lienard Brand executive Natasha Gandotra Group head Digital sales James Florence
Contents April 2015 On our cover this month
In season 36
Stars of the month Make the most of new potatoes, rhubarb and crunchy radishes with these brand-new recipes 44 Let’s eat more… foraged leaves 51 Seasonal & local Veg box schemes, James Martin’s notebook, plus great gastropubs and walks 54 How to grow tasty tomatoes James Wong’s tips and tricks to supercharge the favour 56 Food lovers’ weekend in Bristol
Everyday 62 Make it tonight Simple, great-value suppers – all costed to help you budget 66 Canny Cook: Flexible meals for busy families Recipes that can be eaten at different times 71 Four new pollock dishes
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Weekend 76
86 88 94 96
Spring food for friends Make it special: from laid-back brunch to Sunday lunch Cake Club Lemon meringue cake Sunday lunch with James Martin Cook his relaxed three-course menu Create a caramel & chocolate tart BBC chef Tom Kerridge serves up an exclusive dessert for Good Food Richard’s family bake-off The Great British Bake Off fnalist Richard Burr shares recipes he likes to cook with his daughters
Baking special 12
Our bread revolution From a no-knead loaf to sourdough – fve new recipes 22 New British baking 25 trends and innovations to try at home
April 2015
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Six steps to brilliant bread
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46
Foragers’ delight: Wild garlic & nettle soup
New tips to supercharge the favour of your tomatoes
Eat well
117 Nutritious lunch Smoked salmon, quinoa & dill pot 118 New gluten-free suppers Five weeknight meals – plus a delicious chocolate cake 125 Fuel your run! Expert advice and recipes to boost your performance 128 Make it healthier Lighter Gingerbread 131 Three healthy sides Fresh ways with mash
Good reads 21
How baking bonded our family Rose Prince on the magic of bread 32 Shop-bought vs homemade Joanna Blythman investigates commercial baking 110 My kitchen Chef and restaurateur Mark Hix 146 The food chain Chef Anna Hansen and supper club host Sabrina Ghayour
Cook school 132 134 137 138
New gadgets, ingredients and shortcuts Masterclass Make a gateau St Honoré Know your yeast Plus breadmakers on test Storecupboard heroes Flour
April 2015
Every month 6 8 11 29 101 102 105 115 140 140 141 142
Enjoy more Good Food Find us online, on social media and at our shows Recipe index and menu planner This month we’re full of… the joys of spring What’s cooking News, reviews and trends Win an amazing food lovers’ cruise Subscribe to BBC Good Food and receive Mary Berry’s new cookbook Chefs’ specials TV recipes In next month’s issue Sneak preview From your kitchen Your letters and photos Get the best from our recipes Reader recipe Easter egg rocky road Classified advertisements
Just for you
Multi-function pressure cooker Just £99 p114
READER OFFERS
Great-value breaks across the UK From £55pp p127
Our cover recipe: Cheat’s sourdough – p16 Photograph SAM STOWELL Food styling JANE HORNBY Styling LUIS PERAL
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Sleep in comfort with duck-feather toppers Save 50% p130
Top-quality meat from Donald Russell Save over 50% p136
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MAGAZINE
Summer isn’t far away, so make sure you have 11–14 June in your diary now for the BBC Good Food Show Summer at the NEC Birmingham. This year, you‘ll see world- class chefs including Michel Roux Jr, right – appearing for the first time – plus Tom Kerridge and Mary Berry in the Supertheatre. Discover more about your favourite celebrity chefs, cooks and experts as they tackle your questions on the new Interview Stage. For details and to book, turn to page 57 or visit bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com.
Improved digital issue Our enhanced interactive digital edition of Good Food means you can now see our recipes in landscape as well as portrait view, plus it’s clearer to read – and cook from. Download the app from the Apple App Store or visit Samsung’s Papergarden for the Android version.
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Easter fun
Want to keep your children entertained over the Easter break? You’ll fnd lots of fun projects at bbcgoodfood.com. Our brand-new, printable Easter egg hunt will have them bounding off in search of homemade treats – plus discover how to create your own chocolate eggs. There’s design advice for painting traditional decorative eggs, and dozens of recipes to cook with kids, including Easter cupcakes and biscuits. We’ve even got inspiration for any leftover chocolate – use up those last few chunks in our simple yet delicious recipes.
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Make delicious Monkey bread!
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Our promise to you We’ll bring you the best recipes you’ll fnd anywhere to cook at home. You can trust us – every recipe in the magazine, including those from top chefs or cookery books, is tested and retested until we’re confdent it will work frst time for you at home. Find out more on page 141. l We know that healthy eating is important to you and your family, so we offer new ways to eat well, plus vital nutritional information. l We’ll show you how to cook with seasonal produce and you’ll discover new ingredients and favours. l We’re realistic about budgets – you’ll find costs per serving on many dishes. l Above all, whatever kind of cook you are, we promise you’ll fnd plenty to inspire and excite you at BBC Good Food. l l
Vanilla chick biscuit pops
Easy Cook
Helping you keep things simple The May issue of BBC Easy Cook is on sale from 1 April – at only £2.40, it’s fantastic value for no-fuss meals. In this issue: Sunday brunch, tasty ways with chicken, super stir-fries and much more. All the recipes have been tested in the Good Food kitchen – so you know you can trust them.
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How to contact us
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Join the conversation Catch up with fellow cooks, comment on our recipes and discover what we’re up to in the Good Food Test Kitchen. Visit bbcgoodfood.com for advice on healthy eating and special diets, online conversion charts and thousands more triple-tested recipes. You can also follow us on facebook.com/bbcgoodfood, Instagram and Twitter @bbcgoodfood
April 2015
This month’s recipes 83 RECIPE KEY
Healthy option
Low fat
38
Salads, sides, soup & breakfasts Bombay-style new potatoes 42 Brioche breakfast bake with crispy bacon 82 Butter bean mash 131 Creamy spring soup with goat’s cheese & prosciutto toasts 78 Crispy layered thyme potatoes 92 Green mash 131 Help-yourself grain fridge salad 68 Middle Eastern eggs with merguez & pistachios 80 Minty pesto 78 Radish, lentil & mint salad 38 Radish tartare sauce 40 Roasted radishes 40 Smashed Jersey Royals with basil & lemon 131 Warm spring vegetables 92 Watermelon, feta, cucumber & mint salad 106 Wild garlic & nettle soup 46 Wild garlic butter 46 Wild pesto 48
Gluten free
exciting new recipes to cook
Suitable for freezing
78
Vegetarian mains Aubergine pilau with garlicky yogurt 64 Creamy split pea curry 68 Help-yourself grain fridge salad 68 Leek & goat’s cheese traybake tart 64 Mini top-your-own pizzas 98 Nettle gnudi with wild pesto 48 Quinoa with sautéed leeks, peas & avocado 122 Radish, lentil & mint salad 38 Veggie spiral pie with spiced tomato sauce & chopped salad 78 Wild garlic & nettle soup 46
47 Fish & seafood
Poultry
Anytime pesto & prawn pasta salad 68 Baked pollock with anchovy crumbs 72 Classic potted shrimps 88 Feed-a-crowd kedgeree biryani 80 Fish pie 120 Greek-style roast fsh 72 Harissa salmon with zesty couscous 63 Honey & soy baked salmon 122 Linguine with garlic butter prawns 62 Simple fsh stew 72 Smoked salmon, quinoa & dill lunch pot 117 Thai curry fsh cakes with sweet chilli dressing 72
Cajun blackened chicken with supergreen quinoa 126 Chicken & new potato traybake 38 Chicken korma melts 63 Lemony chicken stew with giant couscous 68 Nacho chicken bake 62 One-pan jerk roast chicken 83 Oven-baked cornfake chicken breast with salsa 120 Wild garlic chicken Kiev 47
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Meat BLT tart 69 Bolognese with spiralized sweet potato 120 Chorizo & cabbage stew 64 Oyster beef with soupy noodles 62 Pork & radish stir-fry 40 Rabbit pie 108 Roast leg of lamb with basil & mint pesto 90 Seared beef, spelt & butternut salad 80 Spicy lamb albondigas (meatballs) 107 Sweet balsamic pork with caraway slaw 63 Venison with rhubarb chutney 38
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April 2015
Menu planner Four menu ideas, compiled from this month’s recipes
Easter brunch with friends Serve with a fun, refreshing drink – visit bbcgoodfood.com for our Pomegranate mojito mocktail recipe. Feed-a-crowd kedgeree biriyani p80
Monkey bread p25
Cranberry & orange hot cross buns p99
Extra special menu for 4
95 Bread, bakes & desserts Almond & raspberry cruffns 23 Apricot frangipane tart 106 Banoffee cheesecake 92 MAKE OUR COVER RECIPE Cheat’s sourdough 16 Cheese & pesto whirls 14 Chocolate avocado cake 26 Coconut lime pie 84 Cranberry & orange hot cross buns 99 Double chocolate & caramel tart, frosted pistachios & rum cream 95 Easter egg rocky road 141 Gingerbread bites 126 Gluten-free chilli cornbread 14 Gluten-free chocolate & banana cake 122 Jammy dodger fowers 100 Lemon meringue cake 86 Lighter Gingerbread 128 Mark’s Sticky toffee pudding 112 Monkey bread 25 New potato & rosemary focaccia 42 No-knead beginner’s loaf 14 Pistachio & lemon gateau St Honoré 134 Pistachio paste 134 Rhubarb & rose fool 42 Rhubarb ripple semi-freddo 42 Seeded wholemeal loaf 16 Victoria sandwich 108 Wild garlic butter on music paper bread 46
Classic potted shrimps (eat leftovers for lunch the next day) p88
Butter bean mash p131
Apricot frangipane tart
p106
Vegetarian Saturday night for 2
Gluten-free chilli cornbread (halve the recipe) p22
Visit bbcgoodfood.com for Red onion & chilli bhajis with mint & garlic raita
Creamy split pea curry (halve the recipe) p68
Rhubarb ripple semi-freddo (freeze leftovers for up to a week) p42
Deliciously gluten-free for 4
Thai curry fsh cakes with sweet chill dressing p72
April 2015
Venison with rhubarb chutney p38
Honey & soy baked salmon p122
bbcgoodfood.com
Visit bbcgoodfood.com for a spiralized Courgette ribbon salad
Chocolate avocado cake (you’ll have leftovers!)
p26
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This month we’re full of…
The joys of spring Burst into the new season with Holly Brooke-Smith’s buys to brighten your kitchen Retro Birdie cake tins, £10 for two, Tesco
‘Bee friendly’ apron, £19.99, oakroomshop.co.uk
‘Qdo B-Dancer’ two-piece tea infuser set, £10.99, wayfair.co.uk
Large ceramic jug (1.3 litres), £34.95, skandium.com Sagaform Fantasy glass, £14 for four, cloudberryliving.co.uk
y wall clock, £30, Joh antr nL te p a g ew w is Ne
Grasse cotton tote bag, £35, jasmineway.co.uk
und tray, £28, ber ryre ky ro ms d.c u i n o.u a r k Ge
Edible apple blossom fowers, £5.50 for an 8g punnet, finefoodspecialist.co.uk Use to decorate cakes or salads – they taste of tart apple. Seasonally available April-October, depending on stock.
Menu Dropp bowl Spring Leaf, £29, redcandy.co.uk
Eva Solo self-watering herb pots, £30 (11cm), £38 (13cm), John Lewis
April 2015
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Our revolution
Many of us are discovering (or rediscovering) the pleasure of handmade and homemade bread. If you’ve never made a loaf, our no-knead version will get you started. If you’re a seasoned baker, we aim to inspire you with our brand-new recipes Photographs SAM STOWELL
No-knead beginner’s loaf
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April 2015
Bread revolution
Gluten-free chilli cornbread
April 2015
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No-knead beginner’s loaf by Miriam Nice, Assistant food editor This is an Italian-inspired bread to dip in balsamic vinegar, virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Traditionally this bread is long and slow to make, but I have adapted it to fit into my working day. It’s also no-knead, and you don’t even need a tin! EASY
MAKES 1 loaf (cuts into 10-12 slices) PREP 10 mins plus cooling and at least 9 hrs rising COOK 1 hr 1
/4 tsp fast-action dried yeast 500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread four, plus extra for dusting 3-4 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked 2 tsp sea salt 2 tbsp olive oil
Our knead-toknow guide ■ For our top tips,
and an explanation of terms used in these recipes, turn to page 18. ■ Learn more about yeast on page 137.
1 Pour 500ml warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Stir to distribute the yeast, then add the four, rosemary leaves and sea salt. Once everything is well mixed, cover the bowl with cling flm and leave to rise overnight, or for 8-12 hrs. 2 Once the dough has risen, brush the inside of another large bowl with the olive oil and
Gluten-free chilli cornbread by Helen Barker-Benfield, Commissioning food editor Whether you need to cut gluten out of your diet or simply want to reduce the amount of wheat you eat, this bread fits the bill. It’s very easy – no yeast involved – and because it’s best eaten super-fresh, it’s an ideal loaf to make at home. A LITTLE EFFORT
GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins plus at least 2 hrs soaking COOK 30 mins
200g/7oz polenta or fne ground cornmeal 284ml pot buttermilk 25g/1oz butter 1 red chilli, deseeded and fnely chopped 1 tsp baking powder (look for a gluten-free one) 1 /4 tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g/2oz frozen sweetcorn, defrosted 2 large eggs, beaten
dust with 1-2 tbsp four. Carefully tip the bread into the foured bowl and dust the top with more four. Cover again with cling flm and leave to prove for 1 hr. 3 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place a large casserole dish, small roasting tin or cake tin in the oven to heat up. When it’s really hot, take it out of the oven and quickly tip in the dough. (The dish or tin should be hot enough that the dough will sizzle when it goes in.) Sprinkle with a little more four and bake for 45 mins–1 hr or until the bread is risen, golden and, if you tap the crust with your knuckles, it sounds hollow. 4 Turn the bread out onto a wire rack and leave to cool for 10-15 mins before slicing. Delicious served warm with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt fakes. PER SLICE (12) energy 162 kcals • fat 2g • saturates none • carbs 29g • sugars none • fibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.8g
Cheese & pesto whirls by Cassie Best, Food editor These rolls are perfect for a picnic. Their fillings are baked into them – so, unlike sandwiches, they won’t go soggy. They are also great with hot tomato soup. A LITTLE EFFORT
SERVES 12 PREP 40 mins plus cooling and at least 11/2 hrs rising COOK 40 mins
450g/1lb strong white bread four, plus a little for dusting 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp golden caster sugar 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle 150g tub fresh pesto 240g tub semi-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped 100g/4oz grated mozzarella (ready-grated is best for this, as it is drier than fresh) 50g/2oz Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated handful basil leaves
1 Combine the four, yeast, sugar and 1 1/2 tsp fne salt in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a tabletop mixer. Measure out 300ml warm water and add roughly 280ml to the four, along with the olive oil, and start mixing until the ingredients start to clump together as a dough. If the dough seems a little dry, add the remaining water. Once combined, knead for 10 mins by hand on your work surface, or for 5 mins on a medium speed in a mixer. 1 Lightly toast the polenta in a dry frying pan The dough is ready when it feels soft, springy for 3-4 mins, stirring to ensure even cooking, and elastic. Clean the bowl, drizzle in a little until the polenta has heated through, is oil, then pop the dough back in, turning it fragrant and small patches are starting to over and coating the sides of the bowl in oil. turn golden brown. Take off the heat, tip half Cover with some oiled cling flm and set aside into a large bowl and add the buttermilk. Stir in a warm place to double in size – this will well, cover and leave to soak for 2-3 hrs. take 1-3 hrs, depending on the temperature. 2 Melt the butter in a 25cm ovenproof frying 2 Line a baking tray with parchment. Uncover pan (a cast-iron one is perfect) and heat oven the dough and punch it down a couple of to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Stir the butter and times with your fst, knocking out all the air the remaining ingredients, including the rest bubbles. Tip out onto a foured work surface of the toasted polenta and 1/2 tsp salt, into the and dust the top with a little four too, if it buttermilk and polenta mixture. (Don’t wipe is sticky. Roll the dough out to a rectangle, out the frying pan – the slick of butter will roughly 40 x 30cm. Spread the pesto over the ensure the bread doesn’t stick.) dough, then scatter over the tomatoes, both 3 Put the pan back on the heat and turn cheeses and the basil. Roll the dough up from up the temperature. Pour the mixture into one of the longer sides, into a long sausage. the pan – it should sizzle as it hits it, like a 3 Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 Yorkshire pudding. Put the whole pan in the even pieces. Place on the baking tray, cut-side oven and bake for 15-20 mins until golden up, in a 3-by-4 formation, making sure the brown and frm in the middle. Leave to cool open end of each roll is tucked in towards the a little, then serve cut into wedges. centre on the arrangement – this will prevent PER SERVING (6) energy 200 kcals • fat 6g • saturates 3g them from uncoiling during cooking. Leave • carbs 29g • sugars 3g • fibre 1g • protein 7g • salt 1.0g a little space between each roll as they will grow and touch as they prove. Loosely cover with oiled cling flm and leave to prove for 30 mins–1 hr until almost doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. 4 Uncover the bread when it is puffed up. Bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 35-40 mins until golden brown and the centre looks dry and not doughy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 10 mins. PER SERVING energy 293 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 3g • carbs 36g • sugars 8g • fibre 4g • protein 10g • salt 1.4g
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April 2015
Bread revolution
Tear and share!
April 2015
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Seeded wholemeal loaf by Chelsie Collins, Cookery assistant
MAKE OUR COVER RECIPE
This loaf is not just wholesome – it’s really tasty and indulgent. The seeds add a lovely texture, while the black treacle gives it a rich flavour and golden colour. Some 100% wholemeal loaves can be a bit heavy, so I’ve added spelt flour to lighten the texture. I love this bread toasted and spread with butter and marmalade, or topped with squashed avocado and poached eggs for brunch. A LITTLE EFFORT
MAKES 1 loaf (cuts into 10-12 slices) PREP 35 mins plus cooling and 1 hr 45 mins rising COOK 45 mins
400g/14oz strong wholemeal bread four 100g/4oz spelt four 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 1 tbsp black treacle oil, for greasing 50g/2oz mixed seeds (I used pumpkin, sunfower, poppy and linseeds) 1 egg yolk, loosened with a fork
by Barney Desmazery, Senior food editor
If you’ve ever dabbled in sourdough, you’ll know how it can take over your life – all that feeding and cosseting… This overnight bread is based on French techniques: flour is initially mixed with cold water to form a ‘starter’, which gives the bread its characteristic, slightly tangy flavour. A LITTLE EFFORT
LOW FAT
MAKES 1 loaf (cuts into 10-12 slices) PREP 30 mins plus at least overnight fermenting and rising COOK 25-30 mins
FOR THE STARTER 100g/4oz strong white bread four 100g/4oz organic dark rye four 1 /2 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast FOR THE MAIN DOUGH 400g/14oz strong white bread four 1 /2 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
1 To make your starter, place all the ingredients in a bowl and add 250ml cold water. Mix together thoroughly with a spoon until you have a spongy mixture, then cover with cling flm and leave at room temperature at least overnight, but up to 24 hrs if you have time. 2 To make the bread dough, tip the ingredients into a clean bowl and add 1 tbsp fne salt, 200ml cold water and your starter. Bring all the ingredients together to a dough, adding a splash more water if too stiff, then tip out onto a lightly foured surface and knead for at least 10 mins until smooth, elastic and springy (this will take 5-7 mins
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in a mixer with a dough hook). Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling flm and leave until doubled in size – about 1 hr at room temperature, 3 hrs in the fridge (see tips, below). 3 Tip the dough onto a foured surface and gently shape into a round – you don’t want to knock too much air out of the dough. Dust a piece of baking parchment heavily with four and sit the dough on top. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size. 4 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place a sturdy fat baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven and a smaller tray with sides underneath. Dust the dough with four and slash with a utility knife (see pics, above). Slide the bread onto the hot tray on top and throw a few ice cubes (or pour some cold water) onto the tray below – this creates a burst of steam, which helps the bread form a nice crust. Bake for 25-30 mins until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave the bread to cool completely. PER SLICE (12) energy 172 kcals • fat 1g • saturates none • carbs 33g • sugars none • fibre 3g • protein 6g • salt 1.3g
Tips for a stunning sourdough n The longer it takes a bread dough to rise, the
more favour it develops. For the best favour and the slowest rise, leave the dough in the fridge – the cool temperature means that it will take longer for the yeast to work. n If you want to make this bread on a regular basis, keep back about 100ml of the starter and a small handful of the kneaded dough. Put the two together in a jar, keep it in the fridge and use as the base to your next starter and loaf. Repeat every time you make a loaf. The pre-fermented base to a new starter will give it even more of a sourdough favour.
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Real Bread Week This annual celebration, 9-15 May, aims to get you baking bread, and also supporting local, independent breadmakers. Visit realbread campaign.org.
PER SLICE (12) energy 173 kcals • fat 3g • saturates 1g • carbs 27g • sugars 2g • fibre 5g • protein 7g • salt 0.4g
Get started the day before You can make your dough the day before baking – just leave it to prove overnight in the fridge. Take it out of the fridge on the day of baking and leave it for at least 45 minutes so it comes to room temperature before you knock it back and add the seeds.
April 2015
Food styling JANE HORNBY | Styling LUIS PERAL
Cheat’s sourdough
1 Combine both fours in a large bowl with the yeast and 1 tsp fne salt. Mix the treacle with 250ml warm water until well combined. Stir into the four to make a slightly sticky dough. If you need to add more water, splash it in 1 tbsp at a time. 2 Knead the dough on a lightly foured surface for 10 mins (or in a tabletop mixer for 5-7 mins). Your dough should be smooth and elastic when it’s ready. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, fip the dough over to coat it in oil, then cover with a sheet of oiled cling flm. Leave in a warm place until doubled in size – this will take about 1 hr (see note, below). Lightly oil a 900g loaf tin. 3 Once doubled in size, knead the dough again for 3-5 mins to knock out the air bubbles – add most of the seeds and work these into the dough as you knead. Shape the dough into an oval roughly the same length as your tin. Place in the tin and leave to prove, covered with oiled cling flm, for 30-45 mins until it has nearly doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. 4 Gently press a fnger into the loaf to check if it has had enough proving time (see step 4 on page 26). When it’s ready, glaze the top of the loaf with the egg yolk and sprinkle over the remaining seeds. Bake in the oven for 40-45 mins until golden brown – if you tip the loaf out of the tin and tap the bottom, it should sound hollow. Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least 30 mins before slicing.
Bread revolution
April 2015
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Bread revolution
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steps to
How warm is ‘warm water’? Find more bread recipes, plus a video showing how to knead dough, at bbcgoodfood.com
Yeast is activated or brought back to life at 37C/100F (just above blood temperature). For most breads (except sourdoughs), which require long, cool fermentation, the water needs to be at least this temperature to get the yeast going. If you don’t have a thermometer, the water should feel just warm, not hot, to the touch – if the temperature is too high, it will kill the yeast. For more about yeast, turn to page 137.
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Make kneading a pleasure
Most breads require kneading (the process of stretching the dough) to develop the gluten and evenly distribute the ingredients. An easy way is to hold the dough with one hand and stretch it out over the work surface with the other, then bring it back to a ball and repeat with the other hand. Keep kneading until it has a smooth texture and can be stretched without tearing – this typically takes 10 minutes. Make it relaxing by turning on the radio and setting a timer. It’s possible to over-knead dough if you’re using a tabletop mixer. The gluten can be stretched too far and start to ‘shatter’, resulting in a fat and heavy bread. If you’re worried, stop the machine after 3 minutes and fnish kneading by hand.
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The secret of successful rising
Coat your dough with oil or cover it with oiled cling flm while rising or ‘proving’ so that the surface doesn’t dry out and form a skin. Most recipes call for the bread to double in size – this can take 1–3 hours, depending on the temperature, moisture in the dough, the development of the gluten, and the ingredients used. Generally speaking, a warm, humid environment is best for rising bread. For deeper favour (and convenience), most doughs can be put in the fridge for their second rise and left to prove overnight. This sounds wrong, given that doughs rise fastest in warm conditions, but it really does work. Put the dough in the fridge straight after shaping, covered with oiled cling flm. It will start to rise but slow down as the dough chills. In the morning, allow it to come back to room temperature and fnish rising 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking as usual.
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4
Is it ready?
To check that your dough has risen to its full capacity, gently press a fngertip into the surface – if the dough springs back straight away, it means the gluten still has some stretch in it, so you can leave it for a little longer. If the indentation left by your fnger doesn’t move, the gluten has stretched as much as it can and the dough is ready to bake. Don’t leave it any longer or the air bubbles will start to collapse, as the gluten will be unable to support them.
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Knocking back
This is a technical term for punching or pressing down on the dough after the bread’s frst rise. This process bursts the tiny air bubbles that have formed in the dough and then forces them to reform again in the fnal shape you want, which results in a smoother texture. For some bread recipes – such as ciabatta – irregular holes are desired, so the dough is not knocked back.
bbcgoodfood.com
6
When can you use a bread machine?
In theory, it’s possible to do the frst rise of most bread recipes in a machine, scaling the quantities to your machine and following its instructions for timings. However, you then need to fnish, shape and bake the bread by hand. Our recommendation is to use the bread machine for an everyday loaf, but to make it by hand for a really special bread. Turn to page 137 for our pick of the best bread machines.
April 2015
Good reads
B
For pleasure & for pocket money… why we bake our daily bread Food writer Rose Prince reveals how making their own bread reaped rewards for her family
Photograph LAURA HYND
The Pocket Bakery by Rose Prince (£18.99, Weidenfeld & Nicolson) is out now. You can buy the book for just £15.99. Call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkledirect.com/ goodfood.
April 2015
read baking came into my life – or my home – at the same time as the baking boom, but not necessarily because of it. In September 2010, we started a bakery in our own London kitchen, chiefy because I was fed up with dishing out pocket money to my children, then aged 10 and 13, without them earning it. It seemed like a natural solution: baking bread is mainly labour – material costs are few. We made the dough on Friday night and shaped it, then sold the freshly baked bread out of the front door. With their ‘hard-earned’ cash in their pockets, my children could enjoy the rest of their weekend. The enterprise benefted everyone; family relations improved, and my children seemed to take pride in their entrepreneurship. But then our customers would tell us we were very on-trend. What did they mean? ‘Well, the Bake Off, you know,’ they said. I was aware of the growing phenomenon of the BBC show that had begun that year – the Mary Berry revival and mutterings about Paul Hollywood’s blue eyes – but I hadn’t realised the impact it was creating and would have over the coming years. The show cannot claim, however, to have launched the baking craze. There had been a defnite sense, following the fnancial crash in 2008, that money could be saved with a little work in the home. I feel, also, that the act of baking itself was comforting – although it was something of a paradox since the price of ingredients, particularly butter, eggs and four, had risen signifcantly.
From sliced to sourdough My own love of baking began in childhood, not because my mother baked – she found baking stressful. I was ‘indoorsy’ and pottered about experimenting with cakes, tarts and biscuits. I didn’t make bread in my childhood, as my parents bought loaves from a high-street baker, and Sunblest too. It was the era of ‘sliced and wrapped’, but that would soon change. The revolution began with genuine baguettes becoming available, then ciabatta and now, of course, sourdough. I began to bake bread in earnest after my children were born. First, when my mother-in-law gave me a breadmaker, which I dutifully used, then quickly began to dislike. There was no pleasure in it: using a machine is what factories do. I wanted to feel the warm dough in my hands and engage with the whole ritual. The most important part of baking bread, and especially
bbcgoodfood.com
making sourdough as I now do, is that you engage all your senses – not just your eyes, but your sense of smell and touch are all essential to judge the progress of the dough at every stage. I fnd this amazingly rewarding, as did my children, and it is at the heart of why baking bread is a big part of my life. For my son, baking for our home bakery was therapeutic as he found conventional education diffcult. He worked as a baker after leaving school, and is now in the food business.
The rise of artisan loaves Baking, especially making sourdoughs, can become an obsession. I hear fellow wild yeast bakers discussing the health of their ‘starters’ as earnestly as they worry about their kids. Looking for good bread has also become a hobby. If I’m served great bread when eating out, I can’t leave the restaurant or pub without discovering where they buy it. Often it turns out that it was made in-house; another great development. Supermarkets are playing catch-up with the trend for handmade bread, but I’m not convinced. You cannot mass-produce and be an ‘artisan’ – the new supermarket breads may appear handmade, but they still taste of the factory. Yet long live the renaissance of better bread and the huge interest in it. There is a real sense that something dormant in all of us has been awakened, a creativity that enhances our quality of life. I believe the love of home baking is here to stay.
Rose’s favourite bakeries ■ Hoxton Bakehouse A young bakery in
Hampshire making superb sourdoughs and Viennoiserie. Their produce can be found at Winchester Farmers’ Market (hampshirefarmersmarket.co.uk) or call 07730 464828 for stockists. ■ Brick House A south London bakery famous for its ‘Peckham Rye’ bread. They’ve just opened a café and shop in East Dulwich (brickhousebreads.com), and can also be found at Herne Hill farmers’ market every Sunday. ■ Long Crichel Bakery An established Dorset bakery known for its spiky ‘hedgehog’ sourdough loaves. (Call 01258 830852 or visit famoushedgehogbread. co.uk for stockists, or buy their breads via abelandcole.co.uk.) ■ Balthazar Boulangerie Outstanding bread and pastries, French-inspired but baked in London’s Waterloo. Visit the Covent Garden shop (balthazarlondon.com). ■ Peter’s Yard Nordic-inspired sourdough crispbreads and other cakes. Eat in their Edinburgh cafés or buy the crispbreads nationwide (petersyard.com).
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The new
From clever kit to trashy toppings and online inspiration. Jane Hornby reveals 25 of the hottest trends and innovations to try at home
Tins & gadgets
1
Let the tin do the talking
2
Spray for speed
After being asked to use a branded cooking mist when I was styling a recipe, I found I was reaching for it every time I needed to grease a cake tin instead of butter and baking parchment. Be warned though – some sprays have a synthetic feel and smell. I like Lurpak, made from butter and oil. It does run a little, but if you get the baking parchment in there quickly, it does a great job, fast. I also use it to grease the bowl and cling flm when proving bread, and for getting into the nooks and crannies of madeleine and bundt tins.
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3
Bring on the rubber blade
Owners of tabletop mixers – there’s an alternative to stopping your Kenwood or KitchenAid every few minutes and scraping the batter from the sides with a spatula. You’ll need a rubber blade! Kenwood calls it a Creaming Beater, for KitchenAid it’s a Flex Edge Beater. Kenwood includes one as standard now, but if you have an older model, add one to your wish list.
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Cut out the cutting out
Lining tins properly is essential for a good result, but cutting baking parchment neatly is a chore. Instead, invest in packs of pre-cut cake liners. Alternatively, cut sheets of Bake-O-Glide to size for cake tins and to line biscuit trays – the sheets can be washed and reused. If you’re baking batches of loaves or large cakes, deep paper liners means you won’t need to wash pans every time and have the bonus of making your cake look like something from a deli.
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Dazzling decorations
5
Switch to a natural sprinkle
Freeze-dried fruit and fruit powders add a natural burst of colour and favour to your bakes. Supermarkets sell some, usually in small chunks that can be used as they are or chopped down in a processor. For more choice and fruit powders used by the pros, try a specialist shop or online. Use them rippled through ice creams, to line the sides of souffé dishes, and for making intense frostings and favoured toppings.
April 2015
Cruffn photograph SAM STOWELL | Food styling JANE HORNBY | Styling LUIS PERAL | Bundt photographs DIVERTIMENTI
Even if you’re a beginner baker, you can create a showstopper by using a decorative tin. Bundt tins are a must-have piece of kit – almost as coveted as the doughnut-shaped cakes that come out of them. Even better, cakes baked in a bundt tin need less cooking time, so the mixture is less likely to dry out. Nordic Ware is the go-to American brand for sturdy, non-stick bundt tins with delicate details. Selfridges and Divertimenti stock a good range, and I’ve had luck in the past at TK Maxx, picking up large bundt tins, and other bakeware, for about £5 each. Spherical cakes, topsy-turvy cake, cakes with hidden middles (more on those later) and even 3D dinosaurs put complex shapes within reach of even novice bakers. Check out Lakeland (lakeland.co.uk) and the other retailers on page 27 for inspiration.
Baking trends
6
Almond & raspberry cruffns
A cruffin has the best bits of a croissant – the flaky pastry, buttery flavour and often the filling – in a neat, muffin-like package. Rather than labour over fiddly croissant dough, I’ve made mine with what is essentially a yeasted version of rough-puff. A LITTLE EFFORT raw unproved pastry only MAKES 6 PREP 40 mins plus chilling COOK 20-25 mins
FOR THE PASTRY 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp lemon juice 225g/8oz strong white flour, sifted, plus extra for shaping 25g/1oz golden caster sugar 140g/5oz cold unsalted butter, chopped into sugar-cube-sized pieces FOR THE FILLING (OPTIONAL BUT WORTH IT!) 50g/2oz unsalted butter 50g/2oz golden caster sugar 50g/2oz ground almonds 1 tsp plain flour a few drops almond extract 1 egg yolk TO SERVE a few tbsp seedless raspberry jam icing sugar, to dust
1 For the pastry, measure 75ml just-warm water, add the yeast and stir it to dissolve. Measure another 75ml ice-cold water and add the lemon juice to it. Mix the four and sugar with 1/2 tsp fne salt in a large bowl, then toss in the cubes of butter until coated in the four. Splash the yeast water and lemon water over the contents of the bowl. Using a round-bladed knife, work quickly to bring the mix to a rough dough with lumps of butter held inside it. 2 Turn onto a foured work surface, shape into a squat rectangle without kneading it too much, then wrap in cling flm and chill for 15 mins in the freezer.
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3 Dust the work surface and pastry with four. Roll the pastry in one direction until it’s 3 times long as it is wide, or about 45 x 15cm. Try to keep the sides straight as you roll, and the top and bottom edges as square as possible. 4 Fold the pastry over itself. Fold the bottom third up, then the top third down, to make a neat block. Turn the block so that its open edge is facing to the right, like a book. Press the edges together gently with the rolling pin. Roll out and fold the pastry like this 3 more times to make a smooth dough, with the odd streak of butter here and there. If it feels greasy at any point, or becomes springy, cover and chill for 10 mins before continuing. Wrap the fnished dough and chill for at least 1 hr. 5 To make the flling, beat together all the ingredients and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside until needed. 6 To shape, put the dough on a foured work surface. Cut it in half across the middle and return one half to the fridge. Roll the other to a 30 x 20cm rectangle, then cut this into 3 strips, each 10cm wide. To create even more layers, fold each piece in half lengthways. Put a generous teaspoon of the almond mix at one end of the pastry, then roll the pastry around it in a spiral. Place, cut-edge up, into a non-stick muffn tin. Repeat to make 6 cruffns. Loosely cover with cling flm. Can be chilled overnight. (You may have some flling left over, which can be frozen.) 7 Prove the dough at a cool room temperature for 2 hrs or until the pastry has flled the wells of the tin. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake the cruffns for 20-25 mins until risen and deep golden brown. Remove and cool a little on a rack. To fll with jam, spoon the jam into a piping bag ftted with a 5mm nozzle, or use a chef’s squeezy bottle. Push the nozzle into the middle of the cruffn and squeeze. Dust the cruffns with icing sugar and eat cool or warm on the day of baking. PER CRUFFIN energy 501 kcals • fat 32g • saturates 17g • carbs 45g • sugars 18g • fibre 1g • protein 8g • salt 0.5g
Over-the-top toppings
Once taboo, it’s now okay to stick non-edibles onto bakes – from cute bunting to glittery pom-poms on sticks. Just let everyone know what’s safe to eat, and what’s not before they tuck in.
8
Get trashy
On the coat-tails of salted caramel comes its slightly sleazy sidekick, the trashy cake topping. Anything with salty, nutty peanut favours is fair game, with marshmallow, pretzels, popcorn and other retro/bar snacks fnding their way into our frosting. For the full effect, add bacon!
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
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Free-from goes mainstream
Even the most classic bakers are working on recipes that beneft the body or are at least lower in fat and sugar – without sacrifcing the favour. However don’t be fooled by marketing spin. Virgin coconut oil is still 90 per cent fat, and honey contains 82 per cent sugar, even if it is unrefned. See my Chocolate avocado cake on page 26.
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Food on flm
Bloggers, chefs and food writers now lead us through their recipes step-by-step on tablets and phones. This helps to take the fear out of baking and is inspiring us to get more creative. Discover our helpful videos at bbcgoodfood.com.
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Puff – we can’t get enough
When I frst started food writing, I’d get funny looks when I mentioned making layered croissants. Now homemade ‘laminated’ (layered) yeasted doughs and pastries are enjoying a resurgence, often as hybrid bakes such as the duffn, pretzel doughnuts and, most famously, cronuts, from New York pastry chef Dominique Ansel. I reckon we can expect to fnd kolach (flled sweet breads) and kringles (fat ring or pretzel-shaped Danish with nutty flling and icing) hitting the UK scene soon. Then, of course, there’s the cruffn – see page 23 for our version.
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Freeze raw, bake later
If you’re pressed for time (or don’t want the temptation of a whole batch of biscuits in the tin), use the freezer to your advantage. Depending on the recipe, roll the dough into a log, wrap, freeze, then slice off ‘cookies’ when you require them – or shape balls, freeze fat, then bundle into bags until needed. Most doughs can be cooked from frozen – just add 2 mins to the baking time. It works for simple cake recipes too. A classic all-in-one fairy cake mix can be frozen raw in the paper cases, then baked at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 from frozen until risen and golden.
Quick or slow… your choice
Mug cakes made in the microwave are having a moment. However, they can be pallid, so either dredge with icing sugar or save the method for dark mixes like ginger or chocolate cake. And you don’t need to use a mug – you can cook most cakes and sponge puds in a ceramic dish or silicone baking mould. It sounds contradictory but a slow-cooker can save time as you can do something else while it’s on. There are recipes for brownies, custards, rice puddings, plus carrot and banana cakes that can all be made in a slow cooker. For cakes and bakes, trap a few layers of kitchen paper under the lid to absorb the steam, and cover open dishes or ramekins with cling flm to stop condensation dripping into your custard.
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Toast the favour!
Beurre noisette, the nutty brown butter often served with fsh, can also give bakes a certain je ne sais quoi. To make your brown butter, gently melt the butter, then cook until the solids turn a dark caramel colour. Use melted in a wet-into-dry recipe (such as muffns or cupcakes) or let it set and use for creaming later.
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Cakes with a secret centre Rainbow cake gets an upgrade, as the piñata party craze takes hold. Cakes are stuffed with sweets and treats that tumble out when it’s cut. For ultimate party cake kudos, go for an ‘antigravity’ cake (right). Senior food editor Barney made one for his son’s birthday and it went down a storm.
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Using his loaf
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Get Carter
April Carter (rhubarband rose.co.uk) has beautiful baking ideas, tip-top decorating skills and a friendly, down-toearth sensibility.
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Justin Gellatly, former head baker and pastry chef at St John, has teamed up with baker Matt Jones to launch Bread Ahead (breadahead.com), a bakery and baking school, in Borough Market. Justin’s frst book, Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding, was published last year.
bbcgoodfood.com
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Izy gets busy
Aged just 19, Izy Hossack put together her beautiful blog, Top with Cinnamon (topwithcinnamon.com), when A-level revision allowed. Her book, of the same name, includes some favourite recipes.
April 2015
Monkey bread photograph SAM STOWELL | Food styling JANE HORNBY | Styling LUIS PERAL
The fresh faces
Baking trends
19 To watch a video of Cassie Best, our Food editor, making Monkey bread, download the April issue of the Good Food app from the Apple App Store. It’s now also available on certain Samsung devices, through the Papergarden app.
April 2015
Monkey bread
This American weekend treat is from the same stable as cinnamon buns – sticky, spiced, stuffed with pecans and very moreish. Monkey bread also goes by the name of bubble bread, perhaps a more suitable moniker when you see the finished bake. EASY raw unproved dough only SERVES 12 PREP 1 hr 15 mins plus rising and proving COOK 35 mins
FOR THE DOUGH 200ml/7f oz semi-skimmed milk 85g/3oz unsalted butter 2 large eggs 550g/1lb 4oz strong white bread four, plus extra for dusting if doing it by hand
21/2 tsp fast-action dried yeast 50g/2oz golden caster sugar oil, for greasing TO ASSEMBLE 125g/41/2oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp each ground ginger and nutmeg 225g/8oz light muscovado sugar 140g/5oz pecans, toasted then roughly chopped FOR THE GLAZE 100g/4oz icing sugar, sifted 1 /2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk pinch of ground cinnamon 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
bbcgoodfood.com
1 Start with the dough. Put the milk and butter in a medium pan and heat gently until the butter melts and the milk is at a simmer. Cool for a few mins, then beat in the eggs with a fork. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl with 11/2 tsp fne salt, then add the liquid and stir to a sticky dough. Leave for 5 mins, then tip onto a foured work surface and knead for 5-10 mins until the dough is smooth and springy. (Knead in a tabletop mixer with a dough hook, if you prefer.) Use a little oil to grease a large bowl, add the dough, turn it in the oil to coat, then cover the bowl with cling flm. Leave in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size. 2 To assemble, grease a 25cm bundt tin with butter. Melt the rest of the butter in a pan. In a medium bowl, mix the spices and sugar, plus a pinch of salt. Spoon 2 tbsp melted butter, 3 tbsp spiced sugar and 4 tbsp pecans into the bottom of the tin. 3 Pull the dough into about 65 small pieces and roll into balls. Taking 4-5 at a time, dunk the dough balls into the melted butter, let the excess drain off, then tip them into the spiced sugar. Roll to coat, then put haphazardly into the tin. Repeat until there’s a full layer of dough balls in the tin. Scatter with the rest of the chopped nuts, then carry on flling the tin with the dough balls. Tip any leftover sugar and butter over the dough. Can now be frozen for up to 1 month – simply defrost in the fridge, then let prove. 4 Cover the tin with oiled cling flm, then leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until risen and the dough no longer springs back when you poke it. 5 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the monkey bread for 35 mins or until well risen and golden. Let the tin cool for 5 mins, then give it a sharp rap on the counter to help separate. Leave in the tin until just warm. 6 Whisk all the glaze ingredients together. It will thicken as the melted butter cools. Turn the monkey bread onto a serving plate, then drizzle with the glaze and allow to set. PER SERVING energy 546 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 12g • carbs 65g • sugars 32g • fibre 2g • protein 9g • salt 0.7g
Get ahead To make this the day before, you can let the dough prove in the tin in the fridge overnight. Let it acclimatise at room temperature for 45 mins-1 hr in the morning to complete the proving, then bake.
To toast nuts I always try to toast nuts before using them in baking as it enhances their favour and adds crunch. Scatter over a baking tray and cook at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 5-8 mins.
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Chocolate avocado cake
Free from dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts and animal fats, this cake ticks almost every free-from box. It’s also vegan and much lower in saturated fat than a standard cake because I’ve replaced the butter with avocado and vegetable oil. The avocado adds such fudginess to both the cake and the frosting that I swear you’d never know it was there – or which other ingredients are missing! EASY GLUTEN FREE
without frosting SERVES 12-16 PREP 30 mins plus cooling COOK 25 mins
FOR THE CAKE a little dairy-free sunfower spread, for greasing 1 large, ripe avocado (about 150g/ 51/2oz fesh) 300g/11oz light muscovado sugar 350g/12oz gluten-free plain four 50g/2oz good quality cocoa powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder 400ml/14f oz unsweetened soya milk 150ml/1/4pt vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla extract FOR THE FROSTING 85g/3oz ripe avocado fesh, mashed 85g/3oz dairy-free sunfower spread 200g/7oz dairy-free chocolate, 70% cocoa, broken into chunks 25g/1oz cocoa powder 125ml/4f oz unsweetened soya milk 200g/7oz icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp vanilla extract gluten-free and vegan sprinkles, to decorate
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3 Melt the chocolate, either over a bowl of water or in the microwave, then let it cool for a few mins. Sift the cocoa into a large bowl. Bring the soya milk to a simmer, then gradually beat into the cocoa until smooth. Cool for a few mins. Tip in the avocado mix, icing sugar, melted chocolate and vanilla, and keep mixing to make a shiny, thick frosting. Use this to sandwich and top the cake. Cover with sprinkles or your own decoration, then leave to set for 10 mins before slicing. Can be made 2 days ahead. PER SERVING (16) energy 452 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 6g • carbs 53g • sugars 34g • fibre 3g • protein 4g • salt 0.9g
bbcgoodfood.com
Tip You need to spread the frosting quite soon after it’s made, as it thickens quickly. If it does thicken, just warm the bowl over a pan of hot water, or give it a few seconds in the microwave, paddling the mixture around with a spatula until it’s smooth and shiny.
Photograph SAM STOWELL | Food styling JANE HORNBY | Styling LUIS PERAL
1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins, then line the bases with baking parchment. Put the avocado and the sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Add the rest of the cake ingredients to the bowl with 1/2 tsp fne salt and process again to a velvety, liquid batter. Divide between the tins and bake for 25 mins or until fully risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. 2 Cool in the tins for 5 mins, then turn the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. While you wait, start preparing the frosting. Beat together the avocado and sunfower spread with electric beaters until creamy and smooth. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
April 2015
Baking trends
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Surfng for supplies
l sugarcraft.com
l icedjemsshop.co.uk
Not as slick-looking as some sites, but it has more than 30,000 sugarcraft items available for order and very friendly help on the end of the phone. l squires-shop.co.uk Every cake decorator loves Squires for its consistently good-quality sugarcraft supplies, colours, pastes and more. l msk-ingredients.com A trade site that welcomes orders from the public. An impressive range of sugared fowers, sherbets, tonka beans and bee pollen. Each item could do with a little bit more explanation, but it’s very inspiring.
Your frst call for food fags, bunting for cakes, stripy straws, bakers’ twine and themed ranges for weddings, vintage and seasonal occasions. There’s a brilliant range of baking cups – like cake cases, but made from stiffer paper, with the option of lids (great for treats at parties). The bags and packaging are cute and great value. l souschef.co.uk A foodie fnd, this site stocks specialist ingredients such as cocoa nibs, crystallised fowers, fruit syrups and purées, its own range of freeze-dried fruit powders, plus extracts and essential oils for cooking. It even has spray-on edible velvet (made from cocoa butter) to coat the outside of cakes and special desserts. l etsy.com A marketplace for independent makers and crafters, where you’ll fnd bespoke cake toppers and unusual cutters, plus vintage bakeware. But make sure you select UK as the shop location before you begin browsing to avoid the heartbreak of pricey shipping from overseas!
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Follow the feeders
Find your cake fx by following these Instagram accounts: l theboywhobakes Edd Kimber, the frst Bake Off winner, shares his inspirational creations.
l lily_vanilli_cake
An east London bakery designing with attitude and a naturalistic fourish.
l violetcakeslondon
Clare Ptak is the talented cook behind Hackney’s Violet Bakery.
joythebaker US blogger and writer with a habit of making me feel very hungry! l primrosebakery Sweet-tooth titillation from the Primrose Hill and Covent Garden bakeries. l thefauxmartha Minimalist design, mainly baking. l sweetbakes_ If you like girly designs, you’ll love the creations of Melbourne’s Alisha Henderson. l On Twitter? #cakefail and #cakewreck are always good for a laugh. l
Bedtime reading
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Whether you’re a new or experienced baker looking for answers, fedgling doctor and Bake Off contestant James is your man. He offers a range of classics plus more unusual bakes, and the recipes won’t bog you down in detail if you don’t want to get too involved.
One of my baking heroes, but little known this side of the pond, Alice is an awardwinning writer who explains complex baking with the reassurance of a good teacher. Flavor Flours is all about using alternative grains and fours (teff, sorghum, etc) for their merits, rather than just as a substitute for wheat.
How Baking Works (and What to Do When it Doesn’t) by James Morton (£20, Ebury Press)
Flavor Flours
by Alice Medrich (£25, Artisan)
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Secret Recipes from the World Famous New York Bakery by Dominique Ansel (£20, Murdoch Books) The long-awaited debut from the guy behind the cronut. A little indulgent, with some fantastical creations, but fun for a confdent baker wanting a new perspective on pastry. You’ll need an accurate gram-by-gram set of scales to bake from this one.
Jane Hornby is a food writer, longtime BBC Good Food cake-maker and the author of What to Bake & How to Bake It (£19.95, Phaidon Press). To fnd out more, visit janehornby.com.
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
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What’s cooking This month’s news, reviews, best buys and trends
WE LOVE WONKY VEG! A massive 75 per cent of people would buy ‘ugly’ fruit and veg if it was cheaper than regular produce, according to Asda, which launched ‘wonky veg’ in some of its stores at the start of this year. Got any photos of ugly veg? Get in touch at enquiries@ bbcgoodfood.com.
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What Katie Ate at the Weekend by Katie Quinn Davies (£25, Good Food offer price £22, Saltyard Books) Irish-born Katie, who now lives in Sydney, won critical acclaim for the stunning photographs on her blog and in her frst book. This second book is just as gorgeous, but it’s her recipes that will keep you hooked. There are 100 simple-to-follow ideas, whether you're cooking for a relaxed gathering or a special occasion. Secrets From My Indian Family Kitchen by Anjali Pathak (£20, Good Food offer price £17, Mitchell Beazley) Anjali, the granddaughter of the founding members of the Patak’s curry paste company, shares recipes her family like to cook at home, from authentic Indian dishes to more modern recipes. She explains what is in her everyday spice box, what she cooks when entertaining and how to incorporate spice into sweet recipes.
TAKE A COOKERY COURSE Mastering Macaroons, Le Cordon Bleu, London (lcblondon.com) If you’ve ever tried to make macaroons and thought, ‘Well, I’m never attempting that again', this six-hour masterclass is the answer. Our teacher, Javier, began by showing us the French meringue technique – a surprisingly simple method that results in crisp shells. We then worked on our piping skills to make a single large macaroon. Once these were in the oven, it was time to get started on the more familiar, Italian meringue
My Simple Italian by Theo Randall (£25, Good Food offer price £22, Ebury Press) Randall, who earned a Michelin star at The River Café, revives memories of childhood summers in rural Italy with this collection. The book is organised into easy-to-use ‘How long have you got?’ sections, with everything from quick suppers to leisurely baking. There’s also an abundance of seafood recipes, including a fantastic Salmon baked in sea salt, as well as impressive meat dishes for a crowd. • BBC Good Food readers can buy any of this month’s books at a discount, plus you’ll also receive a free bookmark. Simply call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkledirect.com/goodfood.
April 2015
method, to create smaller macaroons with a smooth, shiny top. After watching the demonstration – and with lots of opportunity to ask questions – we all managed to turn out some glamorous treats that had a professional fnish. I added fresh vanilla and some crushed wafers to mine for extra crunch. Finally we made three fllings – a chocolate ganache, a sabayon buttercream and an orange marmalade – before sandwiching our macaroons. Verdict A fantastic course, packed with technical info – there's quite a lot to take in, but the results make it worth the effort. Cost £230 for the day, including lunch and lots of macaroons, packed into beautiful gold presentation boxes with ribbons, to take home.
GADGET GEEK Breville Halo + Health Fryer, £119.99, amazon.co.uk Crispy fried chips with hardly any fat? Yes, please! This cylinder blasts extremely hot air at your food as it rotates, crisping it with just 1 tsp of oil.
Chelsie Collins
bbcgoodfood.com
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What’s cooking
HOLLY’S TROLLEY Cooks yaki soba recipe kit, £3.99, Waitrose Noodles, shiitake mushrooms and a pouch of yaki soba sauce – perfectly sized for two. A very easy base for a midweek dinner.
GETS A MAKEOVER Daniel Fiteni. ‘The toast we sell most is a 24-hour fermented sourdough, which has loads of favour and is great for soaking up spreads.’ Look out for more toasters on the tables at Breads Etcetera in nearby Clapham (@BreadsEtc) and at Brody’s Breakfast Bistro in Exeter (brodysbistro.com). Food editor Cassie Best says: ‘We’re also seeing toast appear as a favour – like the breakfast cupcake from Crumbs & Doilies (crumbsanddoilies.co.uk). It’s favoured with Earl Grey and topped with marmalade and toast crumbs – delicious!’
Raw chocolate mousse, £2.59, thelivingfood kitchen.com A vegan treat – this little pot contains raw cacao powder and Irish moss seaweed. It’s free from dairy, gluten and soya.
R
T
S
•
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•P
The humble breakfast staple has gone all trendy. Posh toast is an obvious extension of our very serious appetite for artisan and homemade bread. We’ve seen gourmet toast popping up in San Francisco and New York, and now – be it sourdough, rye, spelt or brioche – toast is taking centre stage in UK cafés too. Burnt Toast, in London’s Brixton Market, gives diners their own toasters at the table (@burnttoastcafe). ‘We want people to have the freshest, hottest toast,’ explains REN the café’s owner,
Pure sea salt smoked over Welsh oak (100g), £5.50, halenmon.com From Anglesey, these salts are harvested by hand. We like this one, smoked over Welsh oak chippings.
OT T E
WHAT’S ON TV
Nigel Slater is visiting every corner of the UK to discover varieties of the classic British and ethnic dishes we cook at home, including Polish, Iraqi and Thai. We can‘t wait to see what he makes! Look out for Eating Together on BBC One.
DRINK NOTES Sarah Jane Evans chooses her top bottles this month
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SPRING SPARKLING Finest Prosecco Superiore Cartizze NV, Veneto, Italy, 11.5%, £14.99, Tesco The sunny Cartizze vineyards are the steepest slopes in the Veneto and produce the fnest Proseccos. A defnite step up from the already excellent Tesco Finest Prosecco (£8.99). Gloriously honeyed and creamy, with soft lemon fruit.
SMART EVENING IN Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2009, Auckland, New Zealand, 13%, £18.99, Waitrose Here’s the ideal wine for a special evening. It’s one of the world’s great Chardonnays, made by an outstanding family, one of NZ’s wine pioneers. Really memorable: rich, with layers of texture in the mouth, notes of hazelnut and peach, and a zippy, fresh fnish.
bbcgoodfood.com
VISIT A FOODIE NIGHT MARKET Urban Food Fest assembles a different group of food trucks and vans in east London and Manchester’s city centre every Saturday night. The line-up is constantly evolving, so each week you’ll discover something new. Open from 5pm until midnight, there are craft beers, cocktails and live music on offer too. Visit urbanfoodfest.com for details. OTHERS TO EXPLORE n foodPark Night Market, Cambridge (foodparkcam.com) A collection of street food traders who come together for one night every couple of months in different locations. n Peddler Market, Sheffeld (peddlermarket.co.uk) The city’s bi-monthly night market offers craft beers, music and street food in an old industrial building on Arundel Street. n Brandon Street Night Market, Leeds (canalmills.com) Held in old mill buildings, this is a showcase of local food, beers, cocktails and produce. Live music and art add to the vibe.
April 2015
Compiled by HOLLY BROOKE-SMITH | Book reviews SALLY HUGHES
BARGAIN RED The Venturer Series Costières de Nîmes 2013, France, 13.5%, £4.79, Aldi Bursting with favour, this is what the South of France does best. Ripe and plummy with an edge of peppery spice – this red blend pairs up well with weekend roasts, as well as hearty chillies and pasta.
Celebrating 200 years
of the finest quality. Forged knives made by WÜSTHOF.
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bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Good reads
How many ingredients does it take to
make a cake? The answer, of course, depends on where it’s being made. Food writer Joanna Blythman went undercover to discover why shop-bought bakes will never taste like the ones we make at home…
Illustration JESSIE FORD
For the past two years, I have been trying to solve a mystery that has puzzled me for ages. How come factory-made food tastes so unlike the homemade equivalent? Why, for instance, are the blueberry muffns on sale in supermarkets and chain coffee shops so dense and sticky compared to the fresh, fuffy (and in my opinion, superior) muffns I make at home? If I can bake a coffee and walnut cake using only butter, sugar, eggs, four, nuts, coffee granules and cream, why does the supermarket-bought equivalent contain ingredients such as glucose syrup, rice starch, acidity regulator, palm oil, glycerine, favouring, preservative and water? Now, after researching my new book, Swallow This, an investigation of the modern processed food industry, I understand why. We home cooks use tried-and-tested ingredients, and our goal is simply to make something that’s good to eat. By contrast, the objective of factory food technologists and product developers, is to devise an industrial system for manufacturing products that look homemade but have an extended shelf life, and can be manufactured proftably at a competitive price that will attract supermarket business. Cost cutting (also known as ‘value engineering’ and ‘cost optimisation’) in the factory starts with reducing the most expensive ingredients in the recipe. Butter can be replaced with a cheaper blend of vegetable oil, emulsifer, whey powder and water, and a synthetic butter favouring can be added to disguise the loss of buttery favour. If even fve per cent of a pricey item – butter, nuts, cream cheese, chocolate, real vanilla essence – can be shaved off, this translates into signifcant reductions in production costs. Plant bakeries supplying large retailers make full use of cutting-edge, chemically altered starches, to give more voluminous results and replace more expensive ingredients. As one supplier of such products to factory bakeries brags: ‘We can provide you with the tools to replicate the eating enjoyment and texture consumers look for, at a fraction of the cost.’ So rather than cracking fresh eggs, which takes time, manufacturers can mix powdered egg with water, or pour in long-life, pasteurised
April 2015
liquid egg. Alternatively, hi-tech modifed proteins can be introduced into the factory recipe to do away with the eggs altogether. When factory food technologists see jam in a recipe, their instinct is to replace it with something cheaper. One typical ‘raspberry jam flling’ I found in a popular high-street chain was an amalgam of sugar syrup, raspberry purée, pectin, citric acid and calcium chloride, a chemical additive that acts as a preservative and frming agent. I can guarantee you never put enzymes on your shopping list. But their power is harnessed to make ready-baked products. Invertase, for example, is used to keep fapjacks and traybakes soft and chewy for weeks, when otherwise they would harden. The addition of maltogenic amylase delays the rate that baked goods go stale. These enzymes rarely appear on the ingredient listing because, legally, they are classed as ‘processing aids’. How many of us would feel happy to eat a tart if we knew that the offcuts from each factory run of pastry were routinely reused – often days later – for subsequent batches? And if reducing sugar is a concern of yours, you’ll be interested to know that sugar is commonly the frst ingredient by weight in factory baking. Why? It’s cheap and, combined with added chemical favourings, it masks the ‘off-tastes’ that occur in the factory production system. Perhaps on days when you’re short of time, you have been tempted by the sweet smells from the supermarket in-store bakery and thought, ‘Why do I bother baking?’. But as I have discovered, there’s an ocean of difference between an honest home bake and the food factory pretender.
What the industry says Barbara Gallani, from the Food and Drink Federation, says: ‘Food can be prepared without additives at home, where it is consumed directly and there isn’t the issue of maintaining the safety and appearance throughout storage and transport. When making mayonnaise at home, for example, the emulsion created by the egg and oil is only stable for a couple of days before it separates. That’s why emulsifers and stabilisers are often used in ready-made foods. Consumers can be assured that any additives included in foods are evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and must meet strict criteria for usage.’
bbcgoodfood.com
Why I wrote this book To research my new book, I asked retailers and food manufacturers for information about what went into their food – and how it got there. It wasn’t always easy to get answers to simple questions, such as what went into a processed loaf. I also visited manufacturing plants – including several undercover trips that allowed me to gain unprecedented access to material that has not been in the public realm previously. I admit that my interest in convenience food started at a very young age… As a small child in the 1960s, I was captivated by the TV advert for one of the frst generation of ready meals – a chicken curry. At home we ate no convenience food; either my mother or grandmother cooked. So I waged a long, attritional campaign to buy a chicken curry, exercising what advertisers now call pester power. One night, my parents were going out – bingo! – and as a treat, I was allowed to choose my own meal. At last I would be able to taste the longed-for curry! I’ll never forget the crushing disappointment I felt at the gulf between the TV advert, the imagery on the packaging and the reality. The box showed a bejewelled beauty bearing a generous plate of food that looked enticingly glossy. But what I had on my lap was half as much in quantity as I had expected, and the curry looked like dog food, or worse. Convenience food has moved on both in terms of technical sophistication and the claims advanced for their realness. In the ready meal category, lasagne and chicken tikka are now the bestsellers. But I ‘ve yet to eat a ready meal that tastes a lot – or even a little – like homemade food. Swallow This by Joanna Blythman (£10.49, Fourth Estate) is out now.
DO YOU BAKE OR BUY – OR BOTH? We’d love to hear your views on this subject. Please contact us at the addresses on p141 For more on the issue, listen to Joanna’s podcast The ‘Clean Label’ Question for BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme on BBC iPlayer Radio
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CAYMAN BRAC LITTLE CAYMAN GRAND CAYMAN
3 of life’s little luxuries
ca ymanislands.co.uk
In the Cayman Islands, drinks really do grow on trees.
In season Inspiration for this month’s freshest produce
Scarlet Globe White Globe
At their best now Fruit & veg u Asparagus u Caulifower u Herbs: rosemary, sage and thyme
French Breakfast
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
u Nettles u New potatoes u Pea shoots u Purple sprouting broccoli u Radishes u Rhubarb u Salad onions and spring onions u Spring greens u Watercress u Wild garlic
Fish & seafood
u Atlantic prawns u Crab u Mackerel u Rainbow, river and sea trout
u Wild salmon
Game
u Rabbit u Wood pigeon
Meat
u Spring lamb
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Stars of the month
&
m in ts ala d
Freshly picked and bursting with favour, early spring produce is suddenly everywhere. Make the most of new potatoes, crunchy radishes and rhubarb with these brand-new recipes Recipes MIRIAM NICE Photographs PHILIP WEBB
il nt e l , ish d Ra
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April 2015
In season
Chicken & new potato traybake
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
37
Radish, lentil & mint salad
Chicken & new potato traybake
Venison with rhubarb chutney
I’ve combined sweet, sour and nutty ingredients to enhance the different varieties of beautiful radishes in this salad. It’s really important to use a sharp, punchy Sherry vinegar or cider vinegar, as the acidity will cut through the sweet onions and earthy lentils and bring the dish to life.
This is so simple to make as everything roasts together in one tray, meaning the oven does all the hard work for you. And the new potatoes act like delicious sponges, absorbing all the wonderful flavours of lemon, bay and garlic.
This recipe is all about the chutney. Instead of tucking it away in a cheese sandwich, it’s given pride of place on a dinner party plate with venison steaks and a red wine sauce. To make the most of the beautifully pink rhubarb stems, you could roast or pan-fry some extra chopped rhubarb just before serving, and fold it through the chutney.
GOOD GLUTEN EASY 2 OF 5 A DAY 4 YOU FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 15 mins
50g/2oz walnut pieces 3 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, sliced 1 tsp black treacle 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar small pack mint, leaves picked and half chopped 400g can green lentils, drained and rinsed 1 /2 cucumber, chopped 300g/11oz radishes, some left whole, others sliced and chopped (try to use a mixture of varieties, such as mooli and red meat radishes – see below)
1 Toast the walnut pieces in a large frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant and just starting to char at the edges. Tip into a bowl and set aside. 2 In the same pan, turn the heat down to low and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion, fry gently for around 10 mins until soft, then take the pan off the heat. Add the black treacle, Sherry vinegar and the rest of the olive oil, then mix and leave to cool. Add the chopped mint to the pan, and season well. 3 In a large bowl, mix together the lentils, cucumber and half the radishes, then pour over the cooled onion and mint dressing. Toss everything together and pile onto a serving dish. Scatter over the walnut pieces and the rest of the mint and radishes, then serve. PER SERVING energy 244 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 2g • carbs 14g • sugars 7g • fibre 4g • protein 6g • salt 0.1g
RADISHES Frequently underrated, radishes are at their brightest and crunchiest right now. Look out for all the wonderful varieties, such as the long white or daikon radish, and the fabulous red meat radish, which looks like a greenish/white turnip but hides a surprising hot-pink middle.
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GOOD GLUTEN EASY LOW CAL VIT C 4 YOU FREE
SERVES 2-4 PREP 15 mins COOK 1 hr 15 mins
3 tbsp olive oil 500g/1lb 2oz new potatoes 140g/5oz large pitted green olives 1 lemon, quartered 8 fresh bay leaves 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled 4 large chicken thighs bag watercress or salad leaves, to serve
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pour the olive oil into a large roasting tin and add the potatoes, olives, lemon quarters, bay leaves and garlic. Toss everything together so it’s coated in oil and evenly distributed. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side up, and season. 2 Put the roasting tin in the oven and roast for 1 hr, basting with the pan juices halfway through cooking. After 1 hr, check that the potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked through, then return to the oven for a fnal 15 mins to crisp the chicken skin. 3 Remove the roasting tin from the oven. Press down on the roasted garlic cloves with the back of a spoon, discard the skins, and mix the mashed garlic with the meat juices. Serve with watercress or your favourite salad leaves on the side. PER SERVING (4) energy 323 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 3g • carbs 23g • sugars 3g • fibre 4g • protein 22g • salt 0.9g
NEW POTATOES These start appearing in the shops now – and Jersey Royals are the frst. Sweet with a velvety rich texture, they are fantastic roasted or as a base for warm spring salads. Or simply boil them and serve with butter and snipped chives.
A LITTLE EFFORT IRON GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 4 (with chutney leftover) PREP 45 mins COOK 1 hr 20 mins
FOR THE CHUTNEY 1 kg/2lb 4oz rhubarb, chopped 1 red onion, sliced 225g/8oz dark brown soft sugar 2 garlic cloves, crushed 300ml/1/2pt red wine vinegar 1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped 2 tsp salt 50g/2oz sultanas 1 tsp juniper berries, crushed 2 pieces stem ginger from a jar, drained and chopped, plus 1 tbsp syrup FOR THE VENISON 500g/1lb 2oz loin fllet or venison steaks 1 tbsp olive oil 150ml/1/4pt red wine 25g/1oz butter mashed potato and rocket leaves, to serve
1 Put all the ingredients for the chutney in a large heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Boil gently for 1 hr until thick and glossy, then spoon into sterilised jars (see top right) while still hot. 2 Brush the venison fllet or steaks with the olive oil and season well. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and fry to your liking, then rest on a plate, covered with foil. Pour the red wine into the same pan and boil rapidly to reduce by just over half. Whisk in the butter, season to taste, and remove from the heat. 3 Slice the venison, put on a serving platter or board and drizzle over the red wine sauce. Serve with the rhubarb chutney, mashed potatoes and some rocket leaves on the side. PER SERVING energy 254 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 5g • carbs 6g • sugars 6g • fibre 1g • protein 28g • salt 0.5g
bbcgoodfood.com
To sterilise your jars Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Put on a baking sheet and pop in the oven to dry completely. If using Kilner jars, boil the rubber seals, as dry heat damages them.
Use up your chutney This recipe makes enough to fll about 2 x 500ml jars. Serve the leftovers with hard cheese and cold meats or alongside your Sunday roast lamb or pork.
Wine notes Pick a French Sauvignon Blanc for the salad – it’s ideal with the richness of the lentils. La Grille 2013, Touraine, 12% (£7.49, The Co-op) is vibrant and crisp. For the chicken, take a hint from the olives and choose Finest Vermentino 2013, 12.5% (£7.99, Tesco), a white from Sicily, packed with ripe citrus notes. Pair the venison with Mourvèdre, a plummy, bold variety from southern France. Les Jamelles Reserve 2013, Languedoc, 13% (£7.49, The Co-op), has all the red and black fruits to match the venison and chutney.
April 2015
In season
y Ma tne ke m u h c e ore of homemad
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
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Crunchy radishes cut through the sticky black bean sauce
TWO MORE SIMPLE IDEAS Roasted radishes 1 OF 5 GOOD GLUTEN EASY A DAY 4 YOU FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 35 mins
3 tbsp olive oil 400g/14oz radishes 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Add the olive oil and radishes to a large roasting tin and roast for 30 mins, turning halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven when the radishes are tender. Season to taste and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Serve with roast lamb or with a tagine and couscous. PER SERVING energy 101 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 1g • carbs 2g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 1g • salt none
Radish tartare sauce EASY
SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins NO COOK
100g/4oz radishes 4 cocktail gherkins, chopped 1 tsp capers 1 /2 tsp Djion mustard 3 tbsp mayonnaise
Pork & radish stir-fry The sauce has incredible depth of flavour but it’s mostly storecupboard heroes, simply whizzed in a food processor. OF 5 EASY FOLATE FIBRE VIT C 2 A DAY
SERVES 4 PREP 45 mins COOK 25 mins
FOR THE SAUCE 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed 85g/3oz dark brown soft sugar 3 garlic cloves 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp Chinese fve-spice powder 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter 1 red chilli, chopped (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot) FOR THE STIR-FRY 400g/14oz pork loin fllet, sliced into strips 1 tbsp cornfour 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 shallots, chopped 300g/11oz radishes, chopped, plus 8 left whole for garnishing (see tip, far right) 300g/11oz pak choi, chopped 1 spring onion, sliced into lengths cooked rice, to serve
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1 To make the sauce, tip half the beans into the bowl of a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and 50ml water. Season, then blend until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and heat gently for about 5 mins or until thick and glossy. 2 In a large dish or bowl, toss the pork pieces in the cornfour and set aside. Heat your wok to a high temperature, add a little oil, then the pork – you might need to do this in batches. Stir-fry for around 5 mins until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the pork from the wok using a slotted spoon and leave to rest on a plate. 3 If the wok is dry at this stage, add 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add the shallots and stir-fry until soft. Throw in the chopped radishes, the rest of the beans and the pak choi and spring onion. Cook for 3-4 mins, then return the pork to the pan, stir in the sauce and bring to the boil for 1 min. Serve with cooked rice and a few more sliced (or carved, if you’re feeling fancy) raw radishes. PER SERVING energy 413 kcals • fat 12g • saturates 3g • carbs 44g • sugars 33g • fibre 6g • protein 29g • salt 2.1g
bbcgoodfood.com
Taste team comment ‘I wasn’t sure about this recipe as I don’t cook pork regularly and I’m not overly keen on radishes. However, this stir-fry tasted good. The sauce had a depth of favour, and the soy, peanut butter and fve-spice all complemented each other. The radish was subtle, not overpowering.’ ASH
Grate or fnely chop the radishes and place in a clean tea towel. Squeeze the tea towel to remove any excess moisture, then mix with the gherkins and capers. Stir in the mustard and mayonnaise and season. Good with crab cakes or homemade fsh fngers. PER SERVING energy 83 kcals • fat 9g • saturates 1g • carbs 1g • sugars 1g • fibre none • protein none • salt 0.3g
CARVE RADISH FLOWERS These might seem a bit fddly, but there is something magical about simply making a few tiny cuts in the skin, then watching the petals slowly unfurl in the water. The easiest way to make these is to cut a tiny grid into the base of the radish, making sure you don’t cut all the way through. Put the radish in a bowl of iced water for 15 mins or until it has opened up. Alternatively, to create a more artichokestyle fower, use the end of a potato peeler or the tip of a small knife to cut regular ‘V’ marks all around the radish. Plunge into iced water, as before.
April 2015
In season
New potato & rosemary focaccia
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
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If you hail from the East Midlands, you’ll probably be aware of the wondrous thing that is a chip cob (called a chip sandwich or buttie everywhere else). Inspired by that faithful combo, this focaccia has wedges of Jersey Royals baked into the dough, giving it an Italian spin. Great with a semi-pressed cheese, such as taleggio or raclette. EASY
SERVES 4-6 PREP 40 mins plus 1 hr 45 mins rising and proving COOK 50 mins
250g/9oz new potatoes (we used Jersey Royals) 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 8 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing 500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread four, plus extra for kneading and dusting small pack rosemary
Rhubarb ripple semi-freddo A LITTLE EFFORT GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 8-10 PREP 20 mins plus about 3 hrs freezing COOK 15 mins
200g/7oz rhubarb, chopped 100g/4oz caster sugar 3 tbsp ginger cordial (we used Belvoir) 4 eggs, separated 100g/4oz icing sugar 300ml pot double cream 50g/2oz ready-made meringues, broken into pieces 25g/1oz crystallised ginger, to serve
1 Line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Put the chopped rhubarb in a medium-sized saucepan with the caster sugar, ginger cordial and 2 tbsp water. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 10-15 mins or until the rhubarb is soft but still holds its shape. Pour into a heatproof jug and leave to cool. 2 In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until stiff, then set aside. In another bowl, whisk the yolks with the icing sugar until they’re pale and starting to thicken. Finally, in a third bowl, whip the double cream until thick. Fold the yolk mixture into the whipped cream until well combined, then fold in the egg
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SPICY SIDE DISH Bombay-style new potatoes GOOD GLUTEN EASY 4 YOU FREE
SERVES 3-4 as a side dish PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins
500g/1lb 2oz new potatoes 2 tbsp olive oil 1 /2 tsp black mustard seeds 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 green chilli, chopped 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric 10 fresh curry leaves 1 spring onion, sliced small pack coriander, chopped
1 Boil the potatoes in a large pan of water for 15 mins. Drain and leave to cool, then cut them into chunks. 2 In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the mustard seeds, garlic, chilli, turmeric and curry leaves. Fry for 1 min, then stir in the potatoes and cook until piping hot, stirring regularly. Season, spoon into a serving dish and scatter over the spring onion and coriander. Serve with your favourite dhal or curry dishes.
Taste team comment ‘My attempts at bread haven’t always been successful, so it was good to see the focaccia rise properly and end up just right. The bread had a lovely texture, the potatoes were nice and brown, and the rosemary gave it a lovely favour. The herby scent flled the whole house!’ LAURA
PER SERVING (4) energy 156 kcals • fat 6g • saturates 1g • carbs 22g • sugars 1g • fibre 2g • protein 2g • salt none
PER SERVING (6) energy 430 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 2g • carbs 66g • sugars 1g • fibre 3g • protein 11g • salt 0.9g
whites and half of the broken meringues 3 Gently spoon a third of the cream mixture into the prepared tin and freeze for 20-30 mins or until just set (keeping the rest of the cream mixture in the fridge). Once it has set, take the tin out of the freezer and pour in half of the cooked rhubarb. Reserve a little of the cooked rhubarb for decorating later, if you like. Top with another third of the cream mixture and return to the freezer for another 30 mins. Once this layer has set, add the remaining rhubarb, followed by a fnal layer of cream. Cover with cling flm and put it back in the freezer for 2 hrs to frm up. 4 To serve, turn it out onto a serving plate and peel away the parchment. Decorate with any reserved rhubarb, the remaining meringue pieces and the crystallised ginger. Slice and serve immediately. PER SERVING (10) energy 286 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 11g • carbs 26g • sugars 26g • fibre none • protein 3g • salt 0.1g
Get ahead You can make this semi-freddo a couple of days ahead and keep it in the freezer for up to a week. It will freeze solid, so take it out of the freezer 20-30 minutes before you want to serve it.
bbcgoodfood.com
CREAMY PUDDING Rhubarb & rose fool EASY GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 15 mins
250g/9oz rhubarb, chopped 25g/1oz caster sugar few drops of rosewater 300ml/1/2pt double cream 50g/2oz icing sugar 100ml/31/2fl oz crème fraîche 4 pieces rose Turkish delight, chopped 25g/1oz pistachios, toasted and crushed
1 Heat the rhubarb gently in a pan with the caster sugar and 2 tbsp water for 8-10 mins or until soft but still holding its shape. Remove from the heat and add the rosewater to taste, then leave to cool completely. 2 In a large bowl, whip the cream and icing sugar until thick, then fold in the crème fraîche. In individual sundae glasses or a serving dish, alternate the cream mixture and cooled rhubarb in layers. Decorate with the Turkish delight and pistachios and serve immediately.
Taste team comment ‘I enjoyed making the semi-freddo – although it was straightforward it had an impressive result. I don’t own an ice-cream maker, but this ended up with the same creamy, smooth taste. The rhubarb wasn’t too sweet, and I loved the hint of ginger from the cordial.’ LAURA
PER SERVING energy 629 kcals • fat 53g • saturates 32g • carbs 33g • sugars 31g • fibre 2g • protein 4g • salt 0.1g
April 2015
Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE | Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN | Wine notes SARAH JANE EVANS MW
New potato & rosemary focaccia
1 Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15 mins, then drain and leave to cool completely. Meanwhile, boil the kettle. 2 Pour 175ml boiling water and 100ml cold water into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the yeast, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp olive oil. Mix well, then stir in the four, adding a splash more water if the mixture feels too dry. 3 Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead for 15 mins until smooth and elastic (dust the surface with a little four if the dough is sticky), then shape into a ball. Grease the inside of a large bowl with olive oil, then add the dough to the bowl and turn a few times to coat in the oil. Cover with cling flm and leave in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size. 4 Grease a large roasting tin (about 26cm x 35cm) with olive oil and dust with a little four. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Carefully stretch out the dough to ft the tin, pressing it into the corners. Cut the cooked potatoes into wedges and tuck them into the dough at regular intervals, along with sprigs of rosemary, and scatter a few sprigs over the top. Cover the tin with cling flm and leave to prove for another 45 mins. Remove the cling flm, pour over 3 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle over a little salt. Bake in the oven for 30-35 mins or until the bread is golden and the potatoes are browning lightly. 5 When the bread is cooked, remove it from the oven and quickly drizzle over another 3 tbsp olive oil while it’s still hot. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then turn out onto a board, slice and serve.
In season
RHUBARB We enjoyed forced rhubarb earlier this year and now we’re getting into the main crop, beautifully pink and in abundance. The stalks are extremely versatile, as their sharp-sour favour can be sweetened for puddings as well as enhanced with citrus or vinegars for serving with oily fsh or turning into a punchy preserve.
Rhubarb ripple semi-freddo
April 2015
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Let’s eat more…
wild leaves
If you go down to the woods today you may stumble across Barney Desmazery, our Food editor and amateur forager, looking for nettles and wild garlic that he can take home to cook Photographs WORKING IN FOOD
Wild garlic & nettle soup
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April 2015
In season
Wild garlic butter on music paper bread
April 2015
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Wild garlic & nettle soup
Wild garlic and nettles are the two leaves I would bet most of us could confdently identify. Focus on these when you’re out foraging and you’ll be rewarded with spring greens that are completely safe to eat. Wild garlic, also known as ransoms, garlic chives, garlic leaves, or ramps by our American cousins, grows in large colonies in open woodland and shady hedgerows across Britain. Once you’ve found your patch, they’re guaranteed to return every year. It’s tempting to treat wild garlic like spinach, but I prefer to think of it like chives or spring onions, as once cooked, it is less garlicky than its scent would lead you to believe. Wild garlic is best when it’s young (March-April) and before it fowers. Once it blossoms, the fowers are also edible, and make a delicious oniony addition to salads. I pick wild garlic with my kids and binge on it over a couple of weeks – stuffng it under roast chicken skin, stirring it into bread sauce and butters, and making a huge batch of pesto that we smugly give to friends, who think we’re a little bit Good Life. But if foraging is a step too far for you, you can probably pick some up at farmers’ markets – although at an extortionate cost, considering PYO is free! Nettles are edible – and positively healthy – but how many of us have actually eaten them? You need to eat them in spring, and they shouldn’t be picked or cooked once the plants show any sign of fowering (around early June), as the leaves will be bitter. Although the whole young plant is edible, it’s best to use just the leaves – the stalks can be stringy. Just to be clear, we are talking about stinging nettles, so wear gloves when picking them. And they must be cooked – the sting is removed the moment they hit the heat. The leaves can be treated like spinach, although the fnished favour is more akin to cabbage. Simply sweat them in butter and serve as a side dish or on toast with a poached egg. Or blanch in boiling water, then drain and squeeze well and use in stuffngs or quiches, dress with olive oil, or make a batch of nettle soup. With so much of what we cook now available all-year round, the thing I love most about picking these leaves is the sense of the season. This precious bounty is only out for a short time – miss it and you’ll have to wait another year.
This uses a mixture of nettles and wild garlic, but can be made using just one or the other – you’ll need about 500g in total. EASY
LOW FIBRE VIT C 2 OF 5 GOOD FAT A DAY 4 YOU
Wild garlic butter on music paper bread This bread is inspired by a Sardinian classic, carta di musica, so called because of its delicate thinness. You could just use ‘00’ flour if you can’t find semolina. For more on flour, turn to page 138.
SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins EASY
1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling 25g/1oz butter 1 onion, fnely diced 1 leek, fnely diced 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced 1 carrot, fnely diced 1 small potato, peeled and diced 1.2 litres/2 pints good-quality vegetable stock 300g/11oz young nettle leaves 200g/7oz wild garlic leaves (keep any fowers if you have them) 3 tbsp milk
MAKES 8 fatbreads PREP 20 mins plus resting COOK 35 mins
200g/7oz ‘00’ four, plus extra for dusting 100g/4oz semolina four or fne semolina olive oil, for brushing 8 slices wild garlic butter (see recipe below) and faky sea salt, to serve
1 Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, leek, celery, carrot, potato and a good pinch of salt, and stir until everything is well coated. Cover and sweat gently for 15-20 mins, stirring every so often to make sure that the vegetables don’t catch on the bottom of the pan. 2 Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 mins. Add the nettles in several batches, stirring, then add the wild garlic leaves and simmer for 2 mins. 3 Remove from the heat and blend using a stick blender or tip into a blender. Return to the heat and stir through the milk, then taste for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and drizzle over a little extra oil, then top with a few wild garlic fowers, if you have them.
1 In a bowl, mix together the fours and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour in 175ml water and mix to a soft dough. Tip onto a lightly foured surface and knead for about 5 mins or until smooth. Wrap in cling flm and leave to rest for 30 mins. Meanwhile, place a pizza stone or one or two large baking trays in the oven, then heat it to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 or as high as it will go. 2 Divide the dough into 8 and shape into balls. On a foured surface, roll out balls very thinly into rough circles about 20-22cm in diameter. 3 Cut out 8 squares of baking parchment a little larger than the dough circles. Pop the dough circles on top and brush with olive oil. Cook the breads, 1 or 2 at a time, on the hot pizza stone or baking tray (still on the baking parchment) for 6-8 mins or until bubbled up in places, golden brown and crisp. Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack while you cook the rest. Pop all the breads back in the oven for 1 min to warm through. Remove and top with a slice of garlic butter (see below) and sea salt.
PER SERVING (4) energy 189 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 4g • carbs 16g • sugars 10g • fibre 6g • protein 6g • salt 1.0g
PER FLATBREAD energy 254 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 7g • carbs 28g • sugars none • fibre 1g • protein 4g • salt 0.6g
Wild garlic butter This has a distinctive garlicky flavour, but you can play around with the amount of wild garlic you use. This butter can be used for the garlic bread (above) and chicken Kiev (opposite), or simply let it melt over a griddled steak or a fluffy baked potato. EASY
GLUTEN FREE
MAKES 250g log PREP 10 mins plus chilling NO COOK
Barney’s 5 foraging rules n Take a pocket guidebook, and check it before picking anything. A good one is Food for Free by Richard Mabey (£4.99, Collins). n Make sure that it is legal to forage in a public area or that you have the landowner’s permission. n Use all your senses to identify the plants you are looking for; it may look
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similar to wild garlic but if it doesn’t smell of garlic – don’t eat it! n Never pick leaves next to busy roads or lanes, or low down, where dogs are regularly walked. n If something isn’t in abundance, rather than picking it, I take a photo to keep my foraging credentials intact.
Nature’s storecupboard
Wild garlic
Nettles
250g pack unsalted butter, softened faky sea salt, to taste 50g/2oz wild garlic leaves, fnely chopped
Mash the butter in a bowl with some sea salt – start with 1/2 tsp, then taste before adding more. Stir in the wild garlic. Using a piece of baking parchment, roll and shape the butter into a log, then twist the ends to form a cracker. Chill until needed. You can freeze the log for a month and cut off slices as needed. PER TBSP energy 92 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 6g • carbs none • sugars none • fibre none • protein none • salt 0.3g
bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
In season
Wild garlic chicken Kiev A LITTLE EFFORT
uncooked SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins plus 1 hr chilling COOK 20 mins
4 skinless chicken breasts 100g/4oz wild garlic butter, softened (see bottom left) 50g/2oz plain four, well seasoned 3 large eggs, beaten 125g/5oz panko or coarse dried breadcrumbs sunfower oil, for frying mixed leaves and lemon wedges, to serve
1 Slice a deep pocket in each chicken breast. To do this, insert a deep knife into the thickest end of the breast. Keep pushing down along the breast, about halfway into the fllet, being careful not to cut all the way through. Push your fnger down into the hole to open it, then stuff with 25g wild garlic butter, making sure that it goes all the way into the pocket. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken breasts. 2 Line up 3 shallow bowls and put the four in the frst, the beaten eggs in the second and the breadcrumbs in the third. Dredge each chicken breast in the four, then coat in the eggs and lastly the breadcrumbs. Dip
each one in the eggs for a second time, then coat again in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining stuffed chicken breasts. Cover the plate with cling flm and chill for at least 1 hr. 3 When you are ready to eat, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Fill a pan 2cm deep with oil and set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the Kievs for 2-3 mins each side until golden brown, then transfer to a baking tray. Pop in the oven for 15 mins or until cooked through. Serve with salad leaves and a lemon wedge to squeeze over. PER SERVING energy 645 kcals • fat 39g • saturates 14g • carbs 31g • sugars 1g • fibre 2g • protein 40g • salt 1.2g
ic ss a l c ved o l ch a mu n o t s i Forager’s tw
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CALCIUM
SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins plus 4 hrs draining and 12-24 hrs chilling COOK 15 mins
2 x 250g tubs good-quality ricotta 200g/7oz young nettle leaves 50g/2oz Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), plus extra to serve 2 egg yolks nutmeg, for grating 350g/12oz semolina four or fne semolina 6 tbsp wild pesto (see below)
1 Line a sieve with a piece of muslin and set over a bowl. Tip in the ricotta, gather up the ends of the muslin and gently tie together. Leave to drain for 4 hrs or preferably overnight. 2 Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil. Blanch the nettle leaves quickly, then drain and chill under the cold tap. Thoroughly drain again, and squeeze out as much water
4 To cook, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Meanwhile, spoon the pesto into a frying pan. Once the water is boiling, drop in batches of the gnudi and simmer for 2-3 mins or until they rise to the surface. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a sieve. Repeat with the remaining gnudi. Heat the pesto in the pan with a few tbsp of the gnudi cooking water, to loosen it. Tip the cooked gnudi into the frying pan and gently turn the balls in the pesto. Divide between plates and scatter over the remaining Parmesan and a good grinding of black pepper before serving.
Wild pesto
1 If you are making this pesto with nettles, frst bring a large pan of water to the boil, then drop in the nettles and cook for 2 mins. Drain and run under cold water, then squeeze out as much water as possible and roughly chop them. 2 Put the prepared nettles and/or raw wild garlic in the small bowl of a food processor, along with the Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and pine nuts. Blitz to a rough paste. Season, and with the motor running slowly, add almost all the oil. Taste, season and add a few good squeezes of lemon juice. Transfer the pesto to a clean jar and top with the remaining oil. Will keep for two weeks.
You can use nettles or wild garlic, or a mixture of both. However, when nettles are involved in any volume, they need to be cooked first to get rid of their sting. EASY GLUTEN FREE
MAKES 275g jar PREP 15 mins COOK 2 mins
150g/51/2oz young nettles or wild garlic leaves, or a mixture 50g/2oz Parmesan, fnely grated 1 garlic clove, fnely chopped zest 1/2 lemon and a good few squeezes of juice 50g/2oz pine nuts, toasted 150ml/1/4pt rapeseed oil
PER SERVING energy 688 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 13g • carbs 67g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 29g • salt 0.7g
A LITTLE EFFORT
from the leaves as you can, then very fnely chop and chill until needed. 3 To make the gnudi, transfer the strained ricotta to a large bowl. Beat a little, then add all but a few tbsp of the Parmesan, the egg yolks, nettles, a good grating of nutmeg and plenty of seasoning. Give it a good stir to combine. Tip the semolina into a large baking tray (it will need to ft in your fridge later). Wet your hands, dip them in the semolina and, working quickly, scoop 1 heaped tsp of the ricotta mixture into your hands and gently roll into a ball. Place the ball on the semolina tray and roll around so that it is completely coated. Pick it up and roll between the palms of your hands to create a smooth ball, then put back in the semolina. Continue with the rest of the mixture – you should have about 28 balls in total. Leaving the balls in the semolina, make sure that they are well spaced, then cover loosely with cling flm. Chill for 12-24 hrs – the longer the better – until a skin has formed on the gnudi.
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Nettle gnudi with wild pesto
PER TBSP energy 65 kcals • fat 7g • saturates 1g • carbs none • sugars none • fibre none • protein 1g • salt none
n WALES Llys Meddyd (llysmeddyg.com), a boutique hotel in Newport, Pembrokeshire, is perfectly placed for foraging – from seashore to forest – and specialises in the collection of razor clams. ‘Feast’ day courses (£99) are run with forager Don Lawrence and cook Ed Sykes, and each day ends with a professionally cooked meal, made with items you have found.
n EAST SUSSEX Hunter Gather Cook (huntergathercook.com), near Lewes, is an outdoor foraging and cookery school that specialises in wild food, outdoor living and self-suffciency. As well as foraging for plants, school owner Nick Weston runs courses (from £100) on hunting and cooking outdoors.
n CORNWALL Fat Hen The Wild Cookery School (fathen.org), in Penzance, runs a two-hour beginners’ walk (£20), which covers seashore, hedgerow and woodland foraging. n HERTFORDSHIRE The Foragers (the-foragers.com),
at The Verulam Arms in St Albans, is a pub that features wild food on its menu, as well as running tutored Saturday walks (£50) twice a month. n SCOTLAND Skye Ghillie (skyeghillie.co.uk), on the island of Skye, runs guided wild walks (from £150 per day for two people) that incorporate seashore and hillside foraging, as well as basic bushcraft and nature watching.
Illustrations RACHEL BAYLY | Food styling and styling WORKING IN FOOD
Want to learn more? Take a foraging course
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April 2015
In season
ai n
co ur se
Gnudi means naked, and the dish is a nod to ravioli without the pasta (naked ravioli!). They are like light balls of ricotta gnocchi, and work really well with blanched nettles
n ria a et eg v ve ssi e r mp yet i Simple
April 2015
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In season
Seasonal local
&
Will a veg box work for you? As summer approaches, you may be considering a regular delivery – some 200,000 people in the UK already do. Clare Hargreaves gives the low-down Why should I get one?
Illustration MIRIAM NICE | Paper background ISTOCKPHOTO
The vast majority of vegetables in box schemes are grown organically. Veg is bought directly from the farmer, so you’re cutting out the middleman, plus you’re providing farmers with a secure income by enabling them to plan ahead. The veg is seasonal, so you learn to live with the seasons again, and boxes are usually delivered within hours of picking. Unlike at supermarkets, packaging is returnable. Finally, there’s the convenience of fnding dinner on your doorstep.
variety and add-ons (such as fruit and meat), and to do doorstep delivery, but you may get a more personal service from a small one (see box, right).
There’s just two of us, will we have too much veg? Will I end up wasting stuff if I’m out a lot one week? The trick to using up your veg is to plan recipes around it, not the other way round. Most box schemes include recipe cards to help – or visit bbcgoodfood.com. Juicing or making soup is a great way to avoid wasting excess veg. If it’s really mounting up, you can always cancel next week’s box.
What happens when there’s not much seasonal veg? At these times (March-May), most schemes buy produce from farms overseas. Many try to buy from small-scale family farms and ensure that veg is shipped rather than air-freighted.
Can I find out in advance what I’m getting?
The big ones do, on a regular day each week. If you’re out, they’ll leave your box at a place you’ve instructed, such as with a neighbour. Some smaller schemes drop off at a collection point, so that you can pick it up yourself. If you’re going to be away, most schemes allow you to suspend your order with a few days’ notice.
Yes – most box schemes enable to you look online, so you can plan your recipes in advance.
Often the vegetables cost the same or less, plus most schemes deliver for free. Generally, the bigger your box, the better the value. Riverford’s medium veg box, containing eight different types of organic veg (enough for two to three adults for a week), will set you back £13.45, including delivery, while Abel & Cole’s equivalent is £14, plus £1.25 delivery.
What’s best – a national scheme or a small local one? It depends where you live, although the number of small schemes is dwindling. Bigger frms are likely to offer more
3-5 April LegenD erry Food Festiva l, Derry, Northern Ire land (derrycity.gov. uk) 4-6 April Chester Food, Drink & Lifes tyle Festival (chesterfoo danddrink.co.uk) 10-12 April BBC Go od Food Show Sprin g, Harrogate (bbcgo odfoodshowspring .com) 24-26 April Exete r Festival of South West Food & Drink (exete rfoodanddrinkfestiv al.co.uk)
PICK A SUPPLIER
Many schemes offer small boxes, weekly or fortnightly.
Can they deliver at times to suit me?
Is it pricier than supermarket veg?
Dates for your diar y
Could I ask for certain veg to be left out? Some schemes, such as the Welsh Food Box Company, allow total fexibility in terms of tailoring box contents to suit you, while some allow a number of ‘dislikes’. Others don’t allow any choice on the grounds that this would increase the cost as well as packing time (resulting in veg that’s less fresh).
Did you know? Many schemes offer a lot more than veg these days. Almost all offer fruit (often as a combined fruit and veg box) and salad, while the larger companies are big on meat. Riverford has deli items, meat, eggs, milk, bread, alcohol, fruit juices and recipe boxes. Abel & Cole offers an even wider range (extending to cans and loo roll), so you can further minimise your weekly supermarket shop.
Find a veg box scheme near you • soilassociation.org/boxschemes • vegbox-recipes.co.uk Large frms • abelandcole.co.uk • farmison.com • riverford.co.uk Go local • coleshillorganics.co.uk (Wiltshire) • growingcommunities.org (north London) • leighcourtfarm.org.uk (Bristol) • localgreens.org.uk (south-east London) • macleodorganics.co.uk (Scottish Highlands & Moray) • purtonhouseorganics.co.uk (Wiltshire) • shillingfordorganics.co.uk (Exeter) • thecommunityfarm.co.uk (Bristol) • tolhurstorganic.co.uk (Reading) • vitalveg.co.uk (Aberdeenshire) • welshfoodboxcompany.com (South Wales) • whitmuirtheorganicplace.co.uk (Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders)
It’s good value! Cath Dawson, from Romsey, Hampshire, has had a veg box delivered for 12 years My husband and I are vegetarian, and get a large box delivered every week. What I love is that, although I roughly know what I’ll get (they only provide veg that’s in season), they also send me surprises, which allows me to try new veg that I might not have chosen – like kohlrabi and salsify – and to be more creative with my cooking. All the fruit and veg tastes so much better and is way cheaper than supermarket produce (I costed it once). Also, it is all British – or sometimes European – so it is grown and delivered with a minimum carbon footprint, whereas supermarket organic veg has often been fown in from around the world. A downside with the box for us is that swede is regularly included in the winter months, and we’re not keen on it. Finally, I like the fexibility. If I have too much from the previous week or if I’m on holiday, I can just cancel my box online.
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CHEF’S NOTEBOOK
Gorgeous gastropub I recently dined at The Feathered Nest (thefeatherednestinn. co.uk) in the Cotswolds with chef Pierre Koffmann. We both ate the crab starter, then I had partridge. The head chef, Kuba Winkowski, gets his seasoning perfect. This place is a hidden gem and, as soon as people fnd out, you won’t be able to get in. Favourite restaurant It has to be the Roux family’s Waterside Inn (waterside-inn.co.uk) in Bray, which still has three Michelin stars after 30 years. I treat myself to a meal there once a year. Just as you think it can’t get any better, it does. The star dish is the Lobster with white Port & ginger starter, but it’s the service that hits you more than anything. Tea room snack When I’m in Harrogate, I always go to Bettys (bettys.co.uk) for a Welsh rarebit with bacon, followed by a Fat Rascal, something I was brought up on. Star chefs I love Eric Chavot’s modern French cooking (brasseriechavot.com).
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James Martin, presenter of BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, will be appearing at the BBC Good Food Show Spring in Harrogate, Yorkshire, from 10-12 April
I reckon he’s one of the best chefs in the UK today. There are no foams, no ash, just great cooking. The other to watch is Brett Graham at The Ledbury (theledbury.com), tipped to be the next three-starred chef. Budget bite If I’m in town and need something quick, I love Pizza Express. I always have the Romana American Hot, with extra pepperoni and mozzarella. Earliest food memory Sunday lunch cooked by my granny and mum. Always a roast – pork or beef – with Yorkshire pud. We’d have parkin (gingerbread cake) for pudding or, if the cooks weren’t feeling energetic, Arctic roll or Viennetta. At about fve or six years old, I started helping to prepare the veg for the Sunday lunch, then started making the gravy. The frst dish I mastered on my own was a roast chicken.
At about fve or six, I started helping to prepare the veg for the Sunday lunch
Weeknight treat Sirloin steak, bought from Laverstoke Park Farm (laverstokepark. co.uk), which I’m lucky enough to live near. I eat it with a Béarnaise sauce and chips. Unsung heroes British lamb – it’s amazing. Hogget and mutton are fantastic too. It would defnitely be one of my top fve British ingredients. And salt. We knock it, but it’s not the salt we put on our food that’s the problem, it’s what’s hidden in ready meals and so on.
The Waterside Inn; Bettys’ Fat Rascals (below); classic roast lamb (right)
To buy tickets for the Spring show, visit bbcgoodfoodshow spring.com. James is also appearing at our Summer show from 11-14 June, at the NEC. Visit bbcgood foodshowsummer. com for information.
April 2015
COMMUNITY HERO When chef Adam Smith (right) worked in Australia and saw perfectly edible food being sent for waste, then fed to pigs, he became concerned about the way the food system worked. Back home in Leeds, he set up the Real Junk Food Project (therealjunkfoodproject.co.uk) in 2013. His scheme involved running a café offering meals made from waste food diverted away from becoming landfll. Customers pay what they feel – either in cash, or time and skills. Volunteers gather unwanted food from shops, food banks, supermarkets, cafés and restaurants. Then volunteer chefs create stews, casseroles, soups and desserts, changing the menu daily. Adam, 29, says that in the café’s frst year, 10,000 people were served hot meals, raising more than £30,000 in donations. The café’s success has inspired another 47 ‘pay as you feel’ cafés, in locations including Brighton, Bristol and Manchester. The concept has now travelled as far as Ghana, South Africa, Switzerland and the US.
Stove-side dining at the Red Lion in Wiltshire
OF THE BEST…
Gastropubs and walks
Red Lion East Chisenbury, Wiltshire (redlionfreehouse.com) Guy Manning’s unpretentious dishes at this relaxed Michelin-starred pub will set you up for a stomp across the Pewsey Downs. Defnitely try the puds, created by Guy’s wife, pastry chef Brittany. There are fve stunning riverside rooms if you want to make a weekend of it.
Feature compiled by CLARE HARGREAVES
The Feathers Inn Hedley on the Hill, Northumberland (thefeathers.net) This tranquil village pub is just a 15-minute drive from Newcastle, but it’s also within reach of some fne walks, including the long-distance path along Hadrian’s Wall. Chef Rhian Cradock buys much of his fresh local food directly from producers.
The Treby Arms Sparkwell, Devon (thetrebyarms.co.uk) This friendly, refurbished gastropub, headed by Anton Piotrowski, co-winner of the BBC’s 2012 MasterChef: The Professionals, is on the southern edge of Dartmoor, so there are walks galore. Try signature dishes such as local Creedy Carver duck or the Treby’s Gone Carrots dessert.
April 2015
How to grow
Tips t & rick s to e rg supercha favou r
tasty tomatoes Forget grow bags and expensive feeds – in his new book, Grow for Flavour, James Wong overturns traditional gardening advice to transform the favour of your homegrown fruit and veg this summer
If you can grow only one thing this summer, I implore you, make it a tomato. More than any other vegetable, the homegrown tomato’s intense fragrance and complex favour guarantee that, when pitted against supermarket offerings, it will pass the blindfold test.
My favourite varieties
How to grow
My tips & tricks
Best for sauces l San Marzano Heritage Neapolitan variety, bred to produce rich, silky sauces. l Corazon Sweet and tangy in equal measure. One of the best candidates for simmering down into soups, sauces and stews, this tomato’s drier fesh and lower acid content guarantee silky smoothness without biting sourness. Cherry tomatoes l Sungold Has a sky-high sugar content and bright, fruity taste – perfect for salads and bruschetta. Early cropper. l Gardener’s Delight AGM Universally popular, this produces loads of high-quality, favoursome fruit on unfussy plants. l Green Envy A real winner of a cherry variety, producing grape-sized fruits with a depth charge of tanginess and a curious lingering sweetness that stays with you for several minutes after eating it. Perhaps my favourite for its sheer intensity of favour. Best for slicing l Pink Brandywine Giant, almost seedless tomatoes with a gutsy favour and meaty texture. Incredibly tasty, yet prone to cracking, as its monster size means its thin skins often just can’t contain the fragrant fesh. However, one bite of a thick, juicy slice in a homemade burger and I promise you will forgive it this one failing. l Belriccio Tangy, rich and with an almighty zing (with little or no seeds), these are the key to making a truly Olympic-grade BLT. Best for salsa l Green Zebra Semi-beefsteak type with a thick, meaty and intensely umami fesh that combines a silky texture and zesty richness. Equally delicious raw or cooked.
Spark your seeds into growth in early-tomid-spring in pots or seed trays on a warm, sunny windowsill indoors. Tiny seedlings should emerge within 1-2 weeks; keep them at 18C (64F). Transplant them into small pots when four leaves have formed, and grow them in the same environment. Give your young plants a good spritz with my aspirin booster spray (see box, opposite) when they just begin to form their frst fowers. Plant out into the border 20cm apart at least one week later, after all risk of frost has passed in late spring. Be mean with the hose Water your plants regularly for the frst month after planting, gradually tapering off to an absolute minimum. Once your plants are established, water only very lightly when they show visible signs of wilting. Pruning and training For regular and beefsteak varieties As soon as the frst bunch of fruit sets, pinch out the growing tip of the plant three leaves above this truss and remove all side shoots – you should barely need to stake or prune again. For cherry varieties Allow the vigorous ‘king shoot’ (the side shoot immediately below the fower truss) to develop to create a short Y-shaped plant before pinching out the tip three leaves after its frst fruit set. Snipping off the tip of each truss to leave 4-5 fruits on regular tomatoes or 8-10 on cherry varieties ensures they ripen easily, at the same time improving size and favour. Feed Apply liberal doses of aspirin booster spray and soakings of molasses tonic (see opposite) once a month throughout the summer, ideally in the mid-morning, as this is when tomato plants grow at their fastest.
Genetics aside, four main growing factors have been demonstrated to signifcantly affect the eating quality of tomato fruit: light levels, watering, fertiliser and pruning. Sadly, much of the standard gardening advice seeks to manipulate these factors to water down your crops’ favour in the quest for maximum yield at any expense. Here’s how to change all that. Ditch the glasshouse The sugar content of tomatoes is pretty much directly proportional to the amount of light they receive. The transparent panels of glasshouses can in fact block as much as 40 per cent of the sun’s rays. Planting your crops outside in a sheltered, sunny site can result in a noticeable spike in sweetness. Surprisingly, it is light, not heat, that is the most important factor; in fact, overheating in glasshouses has been scientifcally demonstrated to result in a poorer favour and lower yields. Forget grow bags Grow bags and pots of compost may be popular, but in my experience they virtually guarantee inferior-tasting fruit, as well as loads more work. Almost all potting mixes are based on materials (such as peat) that naturally have a low level of minerals and nutrients. This ties gardeners into relying on high-cost liquid feeds that are designed to boost yield not favour. Plants grown in well-managed ground, by contrast, have access to a far broader range of naturally occurring minerals, including micronutrients not found in most liquid feeds. This results in tomatoes with a richer, well-rounded favour without the time (and cost) of excessive feeding.
Keep them down at heel Back in the 1960s, Dr Allen Cooper, a British researcher trying to fnd a way to reduce the massive amounts of labour needed to prune and train tomatoes, hit upon a novel idea. Why not simply pinch out the tops of the plants after they had set their frst truss (bunch) of fruit, turning them from rampant vines into squat 50cm-high munchkins? Little staking or further pruning is needed, and, as these dwarf plants can be packed in far closer together, their total yield in a given area stays the same. Bingo! The unexpected side effect of this technique was that, without the need to generate masses of new leaves and fruit, the plants’ resources were focused 100 per cent into swelling and ripening the fruit, creating larger tomatoes with a superior favour. These short plants also make more effcient use of light by not shading each other out, creating fruit with excellent compositions of sugars and acids, even under low light conditions.
James, a Kew-trained botanist, developed his radical new approach by reviewing more than 2,000 scientific studies from around the world. He also trialled hundreds of varieties in his London garden and at the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley.
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April 2015
In season Mix up some mega molasses High levels of fertiliser provide a regular supply of nitrogen, which causes an increase in yields. This is achieved by essentially pumping your fruit with loads of water, which dilutes its sugars and vitamins, resulting in poorer favour and nutrition. In fact, plants with a slight nitrogen defciency have been shown to produce far better-quality fruit – containing up to 17 per cent more sugar. As most well-tended garden soils contain adequate levels of the major nutrients, I prefer to use a simple molasses feed (see below). This by-product of sugar processing is very high in potassium, which has been shown to not only improve the favour and yield of tomatoes, but also boost lycopene content. It has even been shown to cause them to ripen faster – a lifesaver in short summers. To make a molasses feed Dilute 450g molasses in 9 litres of water in a watering can, then sprinkle over your soil every two weeks from the time the frst fowers appear. Unless you have a particularly poor or sandy soil, this should be all the additional fertiliser necessary on a well-maintained bed, high in organic matter.
Use an aspirin booster spray The occasional spritz of dilute aspirin could increase the sugar concentrations in your tomatoes by more than one-and-a-half times, as well as boosting their vitamin C content by 50 per cent. By mimicking a natural plant hormone, which triggers their immune system into action, research has shown that such sprays can give your plants an extra resistance to drought and cold too. Simply dissolve 1/4-1/2 of a 300mg soluble aspirin in 1 litre of water. Add a splash of mineral-rich seaweed extract to this mix to ensure your plants have all the micronutrients they need. It also provides a hit of sweetness-boosting potassium.
Harvest in the afternoon Tomato plants grow most actively in the morning, drawing up water from their roots, so this is the ideal time to water. By late afternoon, the sun will have dried the plants out a little, concentrating the sugars and favour chemicals in the fruit, so this is the best time to harvest. Avoid the fridge Temperatures below 10C can have a disastrous effect on their taste – far better to keep your tomatoes in the fruit bowl or on the kitchen counter. Extracted from RHS Grow for Flavour by James Wong (£20, Mitchell Beazley, octopusbooks.co.uk)
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
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In season
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FOOD LOVERS’ WEEKEND
Bristol
Host to several food festivals, and with a fourishing street food and restaurant culture, the city has plenty to offer. Clare Hargreaves recommends her favourites Poolside dining at Clifton’s Lido; homemade bakes at the Primrose Café, below
The Better Food Comany deli and food hall
Brilliant brunches
Laid-back dining
Food on the move
West Country ingredients call the tune at tiny, friendly Wallfish Bistro (wallfshbistro.co.uk) in the heart of elegant Clifton. Fish is a highlight – fresh from the market that day. We loved the Dorset crab and the Fish soup with Berkswell & cider brandy. Wallfsh is another name for snails, and if you’re lucky, those will be available too. Alternatively, visit Souk Kitchen (soukitchen.co.uk), which has two branches at different ends of the city, for inventive Middle Eastern dishes.
Head to St Nick’s market (stnicholasmarketbristol. co.uk) in the city centre for street food and local produce. In the middle of the market is Source (source-food.co.uk), a deli-restaurant, where Ross Wills produces hearty seasonal dishes. Or head to the new bang-on-trend
ramen bar on nearby Baldwin Street. Another great shopping and eating area is Whiteladies Road. My favourites include Papadeli (papadeli. co.uk), a deli, café and cook school, and
The Better Food Company (betterfood company.co.uk), a deli and food hall.
Clifton cakes Visit the Food Connections festival Bristol will be buzzing with a wide range of events during the nine-day Food Connections festival, now in its second year (bristolfoodconnections. com) It launches on Friday 1 May, the day after the BBC Food and Farming Awards ceremony in the city. This year there’s a new award, Countryfile’s Farming Hero, to be presented by BBC presenter Adam Henson. Bristol Food Connections will then host more than 200 events across the city until 9 May. Alongside markets, cookery demos, a food industry careers fair and pop-ups, there will be wine and cider tastings and a GROW festival reflecting the fact that Bristol is the UK’s first European Green Capital.
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Highlights include appearances by celebrity chefs including Rick Stein, Simon Hopkinson and Thomasina Miers. Mixologists and wild foragers will rub shoulders with ice cream makers and sourdough starters. The BBC will mark 80 years of producing programmes in Bristol with a series of audience events including the Natural History Unit’s Really Wild Food show, revealing the truth about extreme meals in extreme places. Some of Radio 4’s flagship shows will be recorded at the festival, with special editions of The Food Programme. There will also be a programme celebrating the life and legacy of cookery writer Jane Grigson.
Take tea in Clifton and visit Brunel’s iconic Suspension Bridge. For fabulous homemade cakes, try Spicer & Cole (spicerandcole.co.uk), The Farm (thefarmbristol.co.uk) or Primrose Café (primrosecafe.co.uk).
Saturday night out For fne dining at sensible prices, head to Wilks (wilksrestaurant.co.uk), owned by James Wilkins. He trained with French chef Michel Bras, who has three Michelin stars. There’s also a vegetarian tasting menu – a steal at £32 – on Sundays. For something more laid-back, try the Mediterranean-style cooking and super wines at Flinty Red (fintyred.co.uk) in Cotham. For classy British pub grub in a former Victorian pumping station, head to the Pump House (the-pumphouse. com) on Bristol’s waterfront.
bbcgoodfood.com
Swim and eat Need to work up an appetite? Clifton’s Lido (lidobristol.com) offers a swim and lunch package. The Lido, which dates from 1849, has recently been restored. For £35 per person (booking essential) you can use the pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub, then eat a two-course Sunday lunch in the poolside restaurant. Chef Freddy Bird is famous for his wood-roasted dishes, many with a Middle Eastern twist – try the Wood-roast scallops with sweet herb & garlic butter.
First-class coffee If you’re travelling by train, pep yourself up with freshly roasted coffee and handmade croissants at Hart’s Bakery (hartsbakery.co.uk), under the arches at Temple Meads station.
Where to stay It’s hard to beat Number Thirty Eight Clifton (number38clifton.com), an elegant B&B overlooking Clifton Downs. Doubles from £110, including breakfast.
April 2015
Photographs ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES, P GLENNIE SMITH
Sticks & Broth (sticksnbroth.com)
No food tour of Bristol would be complete without trying some of the cafés on edgy Gloucester Road. At Bakers and Co (bakersbristol.co.uk), all-day brunches are inspired by the owners’ travels around San Francisco, plus they make their own sourdough bread. Try the Beetrootcured river trout with courgette fritter, poached eggs, sour cream, lime & chilli. Nearby, Tart café (lovelytart.com) also does brunch, lunch and decadent cakes (like the Boston cake, left); on Friday night, there’s tapas with jazz.
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they create seasonal dishes dishes live on stage. For a second helping of your favourite chef as well as other celebrities and experts throughout each day, head to the Interview Stage sponsored by Lakeland, NEW for the 2015 Show – you may even get to pose a question to your food heroes yourself.
T JO TH HE IN IS SH ING YE O AR W !
s April showers give way to summer sunshine, make sure you have the 11th – 14th June in your diary, and look forward to a warm welcome from the BBC Good Food Show Summer. You’ll be greeted by unrivalled entertainment from world-class chefs in the Supertheatre, as
ns Two Gredy I taia
Welcome Michel Roux Jr.
Michel has long been a friend of the BBC Good Food Show London, and now for the very first time, he’s appearing at the summer show in Birmingham too. See the master of French haute cuisine work his culinary magic live on stage on Saturday 13 June, as he joins an eclectic cast of celebrity chefs, cooks and bakers in the Supertheatre line up at the show. Other names include Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge, the ever popular Mary Berry, and the hugely entertaining Two Greedy Italians. Make a date with your favourite at the show this year.
Tom Ker idg
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Stock up for summer
A day at the show is all you need to stock up for a season of alfresco feasts and picnic treats. Discover summer tipples, such as frozen mojitos from Kold Cocktails or the sparkling non-alcoholic cucumber drink from QCumber. Shop for picnic-perfect goodies from the Little Round Cake Company, Forest Pig Charcuterie and Snowdonia Cheese. No summer’s day is complete without ice cream; try Joe Deluccis or The Real Fruit Creamery for a little cool indulgence. Take advantage of the shop & drop facility, supported by Guide Dogs; it makes browsing the aisles a breeze.
One ticket - two shows
Every ticket gives you free access to BBC Gardeners’ World Live, so you can truly go alfresco. Hosting some gorgeous outdoor features you can soak up the sun as you stroll through the Show Gardens and see summer in bloom in the stunning Floral Marquee. Green-fingered foodies will love the Gardeners’ Grow&Eat Zone – visit the Kitchen Garden Talks Tent for advice on ‘growing-your-own’ Sponsored by: at home.
Good enough to eat
Enjoy demonstrations from top chefs all day every day on the Summer Kitchen stage, with ‘Eat Well’ and ‘Bakes & Cakes’ themes so you can see sessions that suit your tastes. Talking of tastes, why not reserve a table in the BBC Good Food Kitchen, and treat yourself to a three course meal with matched wine, inspired by dishes from this very magazine.
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With 20% off * tickets start from just £19.40 bbcgoodfoodshow.com | 0844 581 1345 *20% off valid on Adult and Over 65s advance tickets to the Summer Show purchased before 30.04.2015. *15% off valid on Adult and Over 65s advance tickets to the Spring Show, purchased before 12.04.15. Offers exclude VIP. †Standard theatre seat included with all advance tickets, subject to availability. Upgrade to Gold seat for £3. Not all celebrities appear on all days, check the website for details. Details correct at time of print. Good Food® Good Food logo© BBC Worldwide. The BBC Good Food Shows are organised and presented by River Street Events. James Martin Photo Credit: James Martin’s Home Comforts (Quadrille, £20)/ Photography ©Yuki Sugiura. Mary Berry Favourites photography by Georgia Glynn Smith.
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Make it tonight
OUR PROMISE TO YOU
Simple cooking, exciting favours No more than 20 minutes prep Easy-to-fnd ingredients Simple shortcuts for super-fast suppers
Recipes and food styling SARA BUENFELD Photographs ROB STREETER
£2.22 per serving Linguine with garlic butter prawns
Oyster beef with soupy noodles LOW EASY LOW FAT CAL
EASY VIT C IRON
SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins
3 nests (about 200g/7oz) medium egg noodles 1 litre/13/4 pints beef stock thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks bunch of spring onions, white parts sliced thickly at an angle, green chopped 1 tsp Chinese fve-spice powder 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 sirloin steaks (about 400g/14oz), trimmed of fat and thinly sliced across the grain 2-3 tbsp oyster sauce
200g/7oz linguine 2-3 fat garlic cloves, fnely chopped 50g/2oz butter 175g pack raw shelled king prawns, de-veined and split in half lengthways fnely grated zest 1 lemon, then cut the lemon into wedges small pack parsley, chopped
1 Boil the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, very gently cook the garlic in the butter in a medium pan until softened. Add the prawns and cook until they just turn from grey to pink. It is important not to overcook them or they will be tough. Remove from the heat and stir in the zest and seasoning. 2 Drain the pasta and toss into the pan with the prawn mixture and parsley until well mixed. Divide between two bowls and serve with the lemon wedges. PER SERVING energy 547 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 13g • carbs 55g • sugars 3g • fibre 1g • protein 28g • salt 0.9g
£2.66 per serving
1 Put a kettle of water on to boil and the noodles in a bowl. Tip the stock, ginger, whites of the onions and the fve-spice into a large pan and leave to simmer for 5 mins. 2 When the kettle boils, pour the water over the noodles and leave to soak for 3 mins (they should be softened, but not completely), then drain. Now add to the stock pan with the chilli, spring onion greens, soy sauce and half the sesame oil, and cook about 2 mins more. 3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large wok. Add the beef and stir-fry over a high heat for about 1 min until it changes colour, but is still a little rare in the centre. Spoon in the oyster sauce and cook over the heat to coat the beef. Ladle the noodles and liquid into bowls and top with the oyster beef.
Nacho chicken bake 1 OF 5 EASY CALCIUM FIBRE A DAY
SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 15 mins
300g jar mild or hot salsa, whichever you prefer 210g can red kidney beans 200g/7oz cooked chicken (leftover from a roast is ideal), chopped 1 /2 small pack coriander, chopped about 75g/21/2oz nacho cheese tortilla chips 75g/21/2oz cheddar, grated salad, avocado and 1 lime, to serve
1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the jar of salsa and the beans with their juice into a pan. Stir in the chicken and coriander, then heat until bubbling. 2 Tip the mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish. Top with the tortillas and cheese, then bake for 8 mins. Serve with a salad, preferably including some avocado, and a good squeeze of lime. PER SERVING energy 596 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 7g • carbs 42g • sugars 10g • fibre 8g • protein 49g • salt 3.2g
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bbcgoodfood.com
PER SERVING energy 391 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 3g • carbs 36g • sugars 2g • fibre 3g • protein 34g • salt 2.7g
£3.36 per serving April 2015
Everyday
Sweet balsamic pork with caraway slaw 1 OF 5 EASY A DAY
SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins
1 OF 5 EASY A DAY
SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins
4 skinless chicken breast fllets 180g tub full-fat cream cheese 2 tbsp korma paste 1 tbsp chopped coriander, plus extra to serve juice 1/2 lemon 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced 8 cherry tomatoes, halved rice and salad, or new potatoes and vegetables, to serve
£2.67 per serving
1 First, take a look at the pork steaks. If they are thick, bash them with the base of a saucepan or a rolling pin to make them thinner, as you want them to cook quite quickly to stop the sweet glaze from burning. 2 Mix the ketchup, vinegar, honey and garlic in a shallow dish, then add the steaks and turn them until well coated. Cook now, or set aside to marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Heat a griddle pan and cook the steaks for about 3-4 mins each side. 3 Mix all the ingredients for the slaw with some seasoning. Serve the pork and slaw with a baked potato. PER SERVING energy 415 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 5g • carbs 15g • sugars 14g • fibre 3g • protein 35g • salt 0.8g
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and arrange the chicken in a large ovenproof dish. Beat the cheese, korma paste and the 1 tbsp coriander together with a squeeze of lemon. Squeeze the remaining lemon over the chicken and spread the curry mix on top. Scatter over the chilli and bake for 15 mins. 2 Remove from the oven, add the tomatoes to the dish then return to cook for another 10 mins. Scatter with more coriander and serve with rice and salad or new potatoes and vegetables
Harissa salmon with zesty couscous HEART 1 OF 5 EASY LOW CAL HEALTHY VIT C A DAY
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 15 mins
2 skinless salmon fllets zest and juice 1 orange 1 tbsp olive oil 1-2 tsp rose harissa (depending on how spicy you like it) 100g/4oz couscous 1 /4 cucumber, fnely diced 1 small red onion, fnely diced small pack parsley, chopped, or 1/2 handful mint 1 tbsp faked almonds, toasted (optional)
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and arrange the salmon in a shallow ovenproof dish. Mix the orange juice with the oil and harissa, then pour over the salmon and bake for 10-12 mins until the fsh fakes easily, but is still moist. 2 Meanwhile, put the couscous in a pan with the orange zest, 200ml water and a sprinkling of salt. Heat until the water bubbles round the edges of the pan, then cover and turn off the heat. After 5 mins, tip the couscous into a bowl, add the cucumber, onion, parsley and almonds (if using) and toss together ready to serve with the salmon and spicy juices.
PER SERVING energy 363 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 14g • carbs 3g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 32g • salt 0.8g
£1.60 per serving April 2015
£2.96 per serving l
Chicken korma melts
FOR THE PORK 4 pork shoulder steaks (about 600g/1lb 5oz) 2 tbsp ketchup 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp clear honey 2 garlic cloves, fnely grated FOR THE SLAW 225g/8oz white cabbage, shredded 1 large carrot, coarsely grated 1 small red onion, fnely chopped 1 /2 tsp caraway seeds 4 tbsp mayonnaise baked potato, to serve
bbcgoodfood.com
PER SERVING energy 467 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 4g • carbs 30g • sugars 5g • fibre 2g • protein 34g • salt 0.2g
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Everyday l
£1.63 per serving
Leek & goat’s cheese traybake tart EASY
1 OF 5 A DAY
CUTS into 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 50 mins
320g pack ready rolled shortcrust pastry 500g/1lb 2oz leeks, very thinly sliced 25g/1oz butter 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 300ml/1/2 pt milk 1 /4 fresh nutmeg, grated 4 eggs 125g log soft goat’s cheese, half chopped, the rest sliced 1 tbsp roughly chopped hazelnuts (not the pre-chopped ones) tomato salad, to serve
Chorizo & cabbage stew LOW 2 OF 5 EASY LOW FAT CAL FOLATE FIBRE VIT C A DAY
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins
100g/4oz piece of spicy chorizo sausage (not cooking chorizo), halved lengthways and shredded 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 100g/4oz baby Charlotte potatoes, thinly sliced 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 chicken stock cube 100g/4oz Savoy cabbage, shredded
1 Heat oven to 200/180C fan/gas 6. Line a non-stick tin (24cm x 20cm x 3cm deep) with baking parchment. Unravel the pastry and use it to line the tin. It should ft almost perfectly except for a slight overhang at the ends. If there are any cracks in the pastry, gently press them together with your fngers, then prick the base. Line with more baking parchment, fll with baking beans and bake for 15 mins. Remove the paper and beans and bake 5 mins more to dry the base. 2 Meanwhile, in a large non-stick frying pan, fry the leeks in the butter with most of the thyme until soft - about 8 mins. Tip into a bowl and pour in the milk, then add the nutmeg, some seasoning and the eggs. Beat until well mixed, then stir in the chopped goat’s cheese. 3 When the pastry case comes out of the oven, tip in the leek mixture, arrange the sliced cheese on top and scatter over the hazelnuts and the remaining thyme. Return to the oven for 25-30 mins until the flling is set. Trim away the excess pastry at the ends if you like and serve warm or at room temperature with a tomato salad. PER SERVING energy 458 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 12g • carbs 29g • sugars 5g • fibre 4g • protein 15g • salt 1.1g
92p per serving
Aubergine pilau with garlicky yogurt EASY
LOW LOW CALCIUM 1 OF 5 GLUTEN FAT CAL A DAY FREE
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins
1 tbsp olive oil 2 fat garlic cloves, 1 fnely chopped, the other fnely grated 1 tbsp fnely chopped ginger 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 aubergine (about 350g/12oz), diced 150g pot plain bio yogurt 250g pouch cooked wholegrain pilau rice 2 large handfuls baby spinach (about 75g/21/2oz) 1 tbsp chopped mint, plus a few extra leaves
1 Heat the oil in a non-stick wok or deep sauté pan and add the chopped garlic, ginger, chilli and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, until the garlic has softened. Add the aubergine and stir-fry for about 1 min more, then cover the pan and let it steam-fry for about 7 mins, stirring every now and then until the aubergine is tender, but still holds its shape. While it cooks, mix the yogurt with the grated garlic and some seasoning. 2 Add the rice and spinach to the pan and cook briefy to heat the rice and wilt the spinach. Stir in the mint and serve with the garlicky yogurt scattered with a few extra mint leaves.
1 Put the chorizo, onion and potatoes in a large non-stick pan. Leave to fry in the oil that comes from the chorizo, stirring occasionally for about 5 mins. 2 Tip in the tomatoes with 2 cans of water, add the stock cube, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add the cabbage, then cover and cook 3-5 mins more until it is just tender. Ladle into bowls and serve. PER SERVING energy 275 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 5g • carbs 23g • sugars 12g • fibre 6g • protein 14g • salt 2.4g
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£2.11 per serving
PER SERVING energy 319 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 3g • carbs 39g • sugars 10g • fibre 8g • protein 11g • salt 1.3g
bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
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If you’re planning a new kitchen, then join us for Let’s do Lunch at a Miele showroom. It’s the perfect place to plan years of good cooking. Our home economists will provide you with hands-on product demonstrations and expert advice to help you create your perfect kitchen. As well as getting up-close to our state-of-theart appliances, we’ll also cook lunch for you. You’ll discover how our appliances work and the difference this makes to your food. What’s more, our Let’s do Lunch courses are completely interactive and you’ll be able to ask any questions you may have. Should you decide to purchase eight or more appliances* after the course, you’ll also qualify for the Miele Connoisseur Club. Members have access to a number of exclusive benefits, including a personal in-home demonstration, a luxury hamper, a free set of Flexiclip runners worth £157.49 and much more. Make your booking today for Let’s do Lunch at www.miele.co.uk/events
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CANNY COOK TO THE RESCUE
Flexible meals for busy families Every month Food editor Cassie Best, our Canny Cook, solves your dinner dilemmas with new recipes and advice. This month’s family are looking for fexible recipes that can be eaten at different times Photographs ROB STREETER Vicky Curtis, husband Lees, and daughters Imogen, 12, and Olivia, eight, live in Compstall, near Stockport, with their two dogs, two ponies, three sheep, eight hens, one cockerel, five ducks and some fish! Vicky, who cooks all the family meals and looks after the animals, says: ‘Our home is a bit of a madhouse – we’re always busy with homework, clubs, housework and tending to the animals. The girls come home from school starving and want dinner straight away, whereas Lees might finish late, so we won’t eat until later in the evening. ‘The animals need tending to at teatime, so I prefer to prep food before the afternoon school run. We have an Aga, so I’ll often pop something in to slow-cook all day and we’ll each dig in when we’re hungry. But I feel we’ve got stuck in a rut and I’m not offering the family enough variety.’
CAN OUR CANNY COOK HELP YOU? If you want help to plan and cook your meals, email Cassie, our Canny Cook, at
[email protected].
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Here’s my solution
Dinners that can be prepared ahead and will happily sit in the pot for a few hours, or can be eaten cold or at room temperature Eating together as a family is hard for many of us to achieve on a daily basis. Shift work, after-school clubs, exercise classes – modern life just doesn’t fit in with everyone being home and eating dinner together at the same time. Here are my tips to cope with delayed dinner times.
COOK IT SLOW Make your slow cooker your best friend – most stews, curries or tagines get better the longer you cook them. Throw the ingredients in the cooker in the morning, and dinner will be ready whenever you’re ready to eat it – be it 5pm, 7pm or 9pm. Make sure your cupboards are stocked with quick-cook carbs, such as couscous, or microwaveable pouches of rice or grains, to serve alongside.
Le m on yc hic ken
MAKE A BATCH If you find yourself with a spare hour or two at the weekend, why not cook a batch of freezer-friendly dinners to stash away for a busy day? Here are my favourites from the BBC Good Food archive: n Pork & chorizo enchiladas n Big-batch Bolognese n Cheese & bacon lasagne n Creamy salmon with chunky ratatouille n Crusty cheddar pies
Find these recipes – and many more – at bbcgoodfood.com. SAFETY FIRST Chill food fast If you’re saving leftovers, storing food at the correct temperature is vital to avoid the spread of harmful bacteria.
Bacteria spread rapidly at temperatures over 8C, so make sure you cool food as quickly as possible, then store in a fridge kept at 1-5C. Use your freezer Your freezer is not just for fish fingers and peas – it can save you money and cut waste drastically. Make sure leftovers are cooled completely before freezing. Visit bbcgoodfood.com for freezer timing guides. Defrost meat, fish, stews and curries in the fridge overnight until completely thawed. Never refreeze meat, unless it has been cooked in a sauce. Reheat until piping hot Make sure pre-cooked food is reheated thoroughly before eating. If you have a food thermometer, the temperature should read 82C.
Food styling SARA BUENFELD
Meet the family
g in v r se stew per with g iant couscous £1.88 bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Everyday VICKY SAYS ‘We all love a homemade curry, but making one without meat worried me! However, the coconut and lime were refreshing, and the combination of peppers, split peas and coriander looked colourful and inviting. A dollop of coconut yogurt cooled down the spice for the children.’
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VICKY SAYS ‘This was a hit with the girls. Olivia chopped the green beans, grated and squeezed the lemon, and mixed the prawns, pesto and crème fraîche into the hot pasta. A quick and simple meal that was tasty and filling.’ l
‘This was a vibrant, zesty dish. We had it as a side for roast chicken, then the leftovers went into my husband’s lunchbox the next day. The ready-cooked grains and chickpeas made this easy to put together, and it was very satisfying. I’d definitely make this for friends or to go with barbecues in the summer.’
VICKY SAYS
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Help-yourself grain fridge salad This healthy salad is made up of robust grains and crisp veg – so no soggy salad leaves! It will keep in the fridge for a few days, ready for quick suppers or a packed lunch. If you want to make it go a little further, serve with a piece of chicken or fish, smeared with a little harissa or tagine paste, if you have some. EASY
OF 5 CALCIUM FOLATE FIBRE VIT C IRON 2 A DAY
SERVES 4 as a main, 6 as a side PREP 25 mins NO COOK
fnely grated zest and juice 2 lemons 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp clear honey 2 tbsp tahini 250g pouch of cooked grains (I used a mixture of bulghar, quinoa & lentils) 400g chickpeas, drained 1 pomegranate, seeds removed 200g/7oz cherry tomatoes (a mix of red and yellow looks attractive), halved large bunch mint or parsley (or a mixture), leaves picked and roughly chopped 50g/2oz toasted faked almonds bunch spring onions, fnely sliced on an angle 200g pack feta, crumbled
1 In a large bowl or sealable container, whisk the lemon zest and juice, oil, honey, tahini and some seasoning. Squeeze the grain pouch to separate the grains, then tip into the bowl along with the chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, tomatoes, herbs, almonds, spring onions and half the feta. 2 Toss everything together in the bowl to coat in the dressing, then crumble over the remaining feta. Serve in bowls straight away, or cover the container and put in the fridge. Eat within 3 days.
Creamy split pea curry A delicious vegetarian curry that can be reheated when you’re ready to eat. Leftovers also freeze well. EASY
OF 5 FIBRE VIT C IRON 3 A DAY
SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr
1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 peppers (any colours will do), chopped 4 tbsp curry paste (I used jalfrezi) 2 tsp nigella or black onion seeds 200g/7oz yellow split peas 400g can chopped tomatoes 400g can light coconut milk bunch coriander, stalks fnely chopped, leaves roughly chopped zest and juice 1 lime 150g coconut yogurt, plus a dollop to serve boiled rice or mini naan breads, to serve
1 Heat the oil in a large fameproof casserole dish with a lid. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for 10 mins until softened. Add the curry paste and nigella seeds, stir for 1 min, then add the split peas, tomatoes, coconut milk and coriander stalks. Bring to a simmer, then cover and bubble gently for 45 mins, or until the split peas are tender. If eating at different times, turn off the heat and cover the curry with a lid. Reheat on the hob or in a microwave until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the curry looks too thick. 2 Just before serving, add the lime zest and juice, coconut yogurt and generous seasoning. Serve with rice or naan, with a dollop of yogurt on top and scattered with coriander leaves. PER SERVING energy 435 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 9g • carbs 47g • sugars 17g • fibre 8g • protein 16g • salt 0.8g
PER SERVING (4) energy 580 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 10g • carbs 35g • sugars 11g • fibre 7g • protein 24g • salt 2.6g
Anytime pesto & prawn pasta salad Enjoy this pasta hot or cold, and stash leftovers in the fridge for lunch the next day. EASY
SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins
350g/12oz pasta 200g/7oz green beans, halved 100g/4oz pesto 140g/5oz light crème fraîche 200g/7oz cooked king prawns zest 1 lemon, juice of 1/2 50g/2oz pine nuts 70g bag rocket
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1 Cook the pasta following pack instructions, adding the beans for the fnal 2 mins. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan. 2 Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of water. Return the pasta and beans to the pan, and add the pesto, crème fraîche, prawns, lemon zest and juice, and pine nuts. Season well. If the sauce is a little thick, add a splash of the pasta water. When you’re ready to serve, scatter over the rocket. Eat hot, or leave to go cold, put in the fridge and eat as a pasta salad.
Lemony chicken stew with giant couscous This chicken stew gets better the longer you cook it, so leave it in the pot all day, and add the couscous just before you’re ready to dish up. LOW 2 OF 5 GOOD EASY LOW FAT CAL IRON A DAY 4 YOU
SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins COOK 1 hr (or longer if you have time)
1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, chopped 500g/1lb 2oz boneless and skinned chicken thighs, each cut into 2-3 chunks 3 tbsp tagine paste or 2 tbsp ras el hanout 2 x 400g cans tomatoes with chopped mixed olives small handful fresh oregano, leaves picked and chopped 2 preserved lemons, fesh removed, skin rinsed and fnely chopped 2 tbsp clear honey 1 chicken stock cube 200g/7oz giant couscous handful parsley, chopped
1 Heat the oil in a large fameproof casserole dish with a lid. Add the onions and cook for 10 mins until starting to caramelise. Push the onions to one side of the dish and add the chicken. Cook over a high heat for 5 mins or so until the chicken is browning. 2 Add the tagine paste, tomatoes, oregano, preserved lemons and honey, and crumble in the stock cube. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and pour this into the dish. Season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Give everything a good stir, then cover with a lid and simmer for 40 mins, on a gentle bubble, or for up to 4 hrs over a very low heat if you’re eating at different times. 3 Add the couscous 10 mins before you’re ready to serve, cover and simmer for 10 mins or until cooked. If you’re eating at different times, scoop your portion into a pan, add 50g couscous and cook in the same way. Stir in some parsley just before serving. PER SERVING energy 415 kcals • fat 9g • saturates 2g • carbs 48g • sugars 18g • fibre 5g • protein 33g • salt 1.6g
VICKY SAYS ‘One-pot suppers are ideal for our busy household. The ras el hanout had a lovely aroma and the kitchen smelled wonderful when we got home from school. I threw in the giant couscous and, by the time homework was fnished, it was ready for us to tuck in and enjoy. Clean plates all round!’
PER SERVING energy 567 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 6g • carbs 52g • sugars 5g • fibre 4g • protein 24g • salt 2.2g
bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Everyday VICKY SAYS l
‘This tart didn’t disappoint – I can see this being a regular in our house. We ate it hot for dinner and had leftovers cold for lunch the next day. The onion chutney added a lovely sweetness. Olivia helped me – if the children help make tea, I think they’re more likely to eat it.’
BLT tart This is delicious hot, warm or cold. Scatter over a handful of salad leaves just before serving. EASY CALCIUM
SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins COOK 40 mins
320g sheet shortcrust pastry 4 heaped tbsp onion chutney 100g/4oz half-fat crème fraîche 100g/4oz mature cheddar, grated 2 medium eggs 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 6 slices prosciutto lamb’s lettuce or rocket
1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a baking sheet with parchment. Unroll the pastry onto the baking sheet. Spread the chutney over the surface, leaving a border of about 1cm free around the edges. Fold in the edges and roughly pinch them together at the corners to make a raised border. 2 In a bowl, whisk the crème fraîche, cheese and eggs with a little salt and a good pinch of pepper. Pour the mixture into the centre of the tart, easing it out towards the edges with the back of a spoon. Top with tomatoes, cut-side facing up, and ruffes of prosciutto. 3 Bake in the oven for 35-40 mins, until the pastry is golden and the flling has set. Leave to cool a little before scattering over the lamb’s lettuce, or leave to cool completely and store in the fridge. Lovely for lunch the next day. PER SERVING (4) energy 652 kcals • fat 41g • saturates 17g • carbs 48g • sugars 11g • fibre 3g • protein 22g • salt 3.0g
La Cuisine classic casserole set
READER OFFERS
This good-value, high-quality twin set of casseroles, measuring 24cm and 20cm, is ideal for everyday and special occasions. Made of enamelled cast iron, the dishes are great for one-pot cooking. You can bring them straight to the table to serve, and the cast iron keeps food warm for longer than any other type of cookware. Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe, the set costs £109.99, plus £4.95 p&p*. Available in black, red, blue, olive green or cream. Exclusive offer for BBC Good Food readers: FREE cook’s knife with every order! To order, please send a cheque payable to JEM Marketing, with GF/0190 written on the back, to: Good Food Reader Offer, JEM House, Littlemead, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8ND or call 01483 204455 quoting GF/0190 or visit shopatjem.co.uk/goodfood. *Delivery within 28 days to UK mainland only, some exclusions may apply. Offer ends 30 June 2015.
£1.83 per serving
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La Madeleine Bonne Maman. A traditional French recipe with fresh eggs and butter. Lovingly baked, individually wrapped, delicious to eat.
Available in supermarkets nationwide
Everyday Greek-style roast fish £2.07 per serving
Baked pollock with anchovy crumbs £1.26 per serving
Global flavours for your favourites
Pollock
Sustainable and affordable, pollock – fresh or frozen – is an excellent choice for everyday meals Recipes and food styling SARA BUENFELD Photographs ROB STREETER
Simple fish stew £2.46 per serving
Thai curry fish cakes with sweet chilli dressing £1.35 per serving April 2015
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Everyday Baked pollock with anchovy crumbs
Greek-style roast fsh LOW 2 OF 5 GOOD EASY LOW FAT CAL FIBRE VIT C A DAY 4 YOU GLUTEN FREE
EASY LOW FAT
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 50 mins
SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 25 mins
5 small potatoes (about 400g/14oz), scrubbed and cut into wedges 1 onion, halved and sliced 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1 /2 tsp dried oregano or 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano 2 tbsp olive oil 1 /2 lemon, cut into wedges 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges 2 fresh skinless pollock fllets (about 200g/7oz) small handful parsley, roughly chopped
50g/2oz crustless white bread (ours was from a tiger loaf) 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 6 anchovy fllets in oil from a jar, drained 2 tsp olive oil 2 tsp chopped rosemary leaves 4 skinless frozen pollock fllets (about 400g/14oz) salad or new potatoes and green beans, to serve
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the potatoes, onion, garlic, oregano and olive oil into a roasting tin, season, then mix together with your hands to coat everything in the oil. Roast for 15 mins, turn everything over and bake for 15 mins more.
2 Add the lemon and tomatoes, and roast for 10 mins, then top with the fsh fllets and cook for 10 mins more. Serve with parsley scattered over. PER SERVING energy 388 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 2g • carbs 42g • sugars 11g • fibre 6g • protein 23g • salt 0.4g
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and set aside. 2 Tear the bread into a food processor, add the garlic, anchovies, oil and rosemary, then season and pulse to make rough crumbs. Arrange the frozen fllets spaced apart on the baking tray and pile the crumbs on top. Bake for 22-25 mins until the fsh is cooked and the topping crispy. Serve with a salad or new potatoes and green beans.
Why choose pollock? With its white fesh, sweet favour and medium faky texture, pollock – a member of the cod family – is a useful, readily available fsh for the home cook. You may have already encountered it in fsh fngers and pies, and it is widely considered sustainable. If you can’t fnd it on the fsh counter, look for it in the freezer, where it can be found as boneless faky fsh fllets.
PER SERVING energy 127 kcals • fat 3g • saturates none • carbs 6g • sugars none • fibre none • protein 19g • salt 0.9g
Thai curry fsh cakes with sweet chilli dressing
Simple fsh stew LOW 3 OF 5 EASY LOW FAT CAL FOLATE FIBRE VIT C A DAY
EASY
GOOD 4 YOU
SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20-25 mins
400g pack frozen pollock fllets, thawed, dried and roughly chopped 1 egg 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste 2 tsp fsh sauce 1 tbsp cornfour zest and juice 1 lime 50g/2oz green beans, trimmed and fnely sliced 2 tbsp sunfower oil, for frying 3 tbsp sweet chilli dipping sauce leafy salad, to serve
1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 carrots, diced 2 celery sticks, diced 2 garlic cloves, fnely chopped 2 leeks, thinly sliced 400g can chopped tomatoes 500ml/18f oz hot fsh stock 2 skinless pollock fllets (about 200g/7oz), thawed if frozen, and cut into chunks 85g/3oz raw shelled king prawns
1 Tip the fsh into a food processor with the egg, curry paste, fsh sauce and cornfour, then blitz until smooth. Tip the mixture into a bowl and stir in the lime zest and green beans, then shape into 8 fsh cakes. 2 Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan, then cook the fsh cakes (in batches) for a couple of mins each side until frm and cooked through.
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3 While the fsh cakes are cooking, stir the lime juice into the chilli sauce to make a dressing. Pile salad onto plates, top with the fsh cakes and drizzle with a little dressing. PER SERVING energy 188 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 1g • carbs 9g • sugars 5g • fibre 1g • protein 19g • salt 1.3g
1 Heat the oil in a large pan, add the fennel seeds, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 mins until starting to soften. Tip in the leeks, tomatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly.
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2 Add the fsh, scatter over the prawns and cook for 2 mins more until lightly cooked. Ladle into bowls and serve with a spoon. PER SERVING energy 346 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 1g • carbs 20g • sugars 17g • fibre 11g • protein 42g • salt 1.7g
Sustainable fsh You can use any sustainable white fsh for these recipes – such as haddock, cod or any other frm white fsh.
April 2015
From Italy with love!
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Coliseum - Rom a
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Weekend Relaxed cooking, inspiring recipes and impressive bakes
u Spring food for friends u Lemon meringue cake by Bake Off’s Luis Troyano
u James Martin’s special Sunday lunch menu
u Tom Kerridge’s Caramel & chocolate tart
h nc u r yb lida o H Bank
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Spring food
for friends Whether you’re getting together for a laid-back brunch or sitting down to a Sunday roast, make every weekend special with Cassie Best’s new recipes Photographs WILL HEAP
Ve
gg ie sp ira l
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pie wit h sp iced t omato sa uce & chopped salad bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Weekend
spring soup Creamy with
goa t’s ch ee se & sts toa tto ciu os pr
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Veggie spiral pie with spiced tomato sauce & chopped salad
Food for a crowd
This filo pie is based on a Moroccan dish called M’hanncha – meaning ‘snake’ because of its coils. Traditionally, it would be filled with a frangipane spiked with rosewater and served as dessert. My recipe, packed with rice, feta and spinach, makes a great lunch dish. Filo does have a tendency to crack when rolled up, so make sure you keep it well covered when you’re not working with it, and set aside a few sheets to patch up any cracks. As I explain in my filo know-how on page 132, I use a paintbrush to butter the sheets. MORE OF A CHALLENGE CALCIUM FOLATE FIBRE VIT C IRON 2 OF 5 A DAY
before baking SERVES 8-10 PREP 50 mins plus chilling COOK 1 hr 30 mins
1 tbsp each cumin and coriander seeds 3 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced 100g/4oz green lentils 300g/11oz basmati rice 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 nutmeg 1 /2 tsp each ground turmeric and allspice 400g/14oz spinach small bunch each of dill, parsley and mint, all fnely chopped zest 2 lemon, plus juice of 1 200g pack feta, crumbled 2 x 270g packs flo pastry (12 sheets in total) 100g/4oz butter, melted 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp black sesame seeds (or regular sesame seeds) Greek yogurt, to serve
Creamy spring soup with goat’s cheese & prosciutto toasts
1 Heat a large saucepan, tip in the cumin and coriander seeds and toast for a few mins until you can smell their fragrance and they turn a shade darker, then tip into a pestle and mortar. Add the oil to the pan, then tip in the onions and cook slowly until golden and caramelised – this will take 15-20 mins. Meanwhile, bring 2 pans of water to the boil. Add the lentils to 1 pan and cook for 20 mins. Put the rice and a pinch of salt in the other pan and cook for 5 mins (it should still have a little bite). Drain both pans, and leave the lentils and rice to steam-dry. 2 Boil the kettle. Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for 1-2 mins over a low heat. Grind the whole spices in the pestle and mortar to a fne powder and add these to the onion mixture. Grate half of the nutmeg and add to the onions with the turmeric and allspice. 3 Put the spinach in a colander in the sink, pour over a kettle of boiling water, then rinse under cold water. Use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop the spinach and add to the onions with the herbs, lemon zest and juice and the rice, lentils and plenty of seasoning. Leave to cool before stirring through the feta. 4 To assemble the pie, you’ll need plenty of
SERVES 8 PREP 25 mins COOK 30 mins
1 fat garlic clove, squashed 150g pack soft goat’s cheese 6 slices prosciutto 200g/7oz pesto (see below right), or buy a good-quality fresh one
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 1 onion, chopped 1 fennel bulb, chopped 200g/7oz asparagus, woody ends and all, roughly chopped (save the pretty tips for another recipe, if you like) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp fennel seeds 1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock 450g/1lb frozen peas 100g bag watercress, reserve some small leaves for the toasts small bunch parsley, roughly chopped small bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped (or buy 1 large bunch and use half in the pesto, if making) 100ml/3 /2f oz double cream FOR THE TOASTS 1 large ciabatta, thickly sliced on an angle drizzle of extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil, plus extra for serving
1 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and fennel and fry gently for 10 mins or until softened but not coloured. Add the asparagus, garlic and fennel seeds and stir everything around in the pan for another 1-2 mins. Pour in the vegetable stock, season, and cover with a lid. Leave on a gentle simmer (but for no longer than 5 mins) while you prepare the toasts. 2 Heat the grill. Put the ciabatta slices on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Pop the bread under the grill for 2-3 mins each side or until golden and crisp. Remove the toasts and rub the garlic clove over each piece of toast. 3 Add the peas to the soup, bubble for 1 min to defrost the peas, then remove the pan from the heat and add most of the watercress, the herbs and the double cream. Use a hand blender to blitz it to a smooth, creamy consistency. Check
1 OF 5 EASY FOLATE FIBRE VIT C A DAY
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FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp sugar (any will do) 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp olive oil FOR THE SALAD 1 cucumber 1 red onion, fnely chopped 2 large tomatoes, fnely chopped handful parsley, chopped 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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space on your work surface – about 1 metre. Unwrap the flo and cover with a damp tea towel. Have your bowls of melted butter and beaten egg to hand, as well as a pastry brush for each. Working quickly, lay 4 sheets of flo end to end, running along the length of your work surface, and butter each piece generously, overlapping each sheet by about 10cm. Top with another 4 sheets, butter well, then repeat with 3 fnal sheets of flo (save the last one to cover any cracks later on.) 5 Spoon the rice flling down the centre of the flo, leaving 5cm free on either end. Brush the egg around the edges and tuck the ends in to cover the flling. Starting from one end, roll the flo over the flling, working your way along until you have a long flo sausage. From one end, start to coil the sausage back on itself – if the pastry cracks, patch it over the hole with your reserved piece of flo. When the coil is complete, slide onto a tray lined with baking parchment, brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. You can now cover it loosely with cling flm and chill for up to 24 hrs. 6 When you’re ready to bake, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the pie on the middle shelf and bake for 45 mins until golden and crisp. Meanwhile, tip the ingredients for the tomato sauce into a pan, season and bubble for 30 mins until rich and thick. 7 For the salad, halve the cucumber through the centre, then cut in half lengthways and chop into small cubes. Put in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and season well. Set aside until ready to serve. 8 Leave the pie to cool for 20 mins before serving with the sauce, salad and a large bowl of yogurt. PER SERVING (10) energy 545 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 10g • carbs 63g • sugars 9g • fibre 6g • protein 17g • salt 1.6g
the seasoning – you will need to be quite generous. 4 Spread each piece of toast with a little goat’s cheese, then top with a slice of ruffed prosciutto, a dollop of pesto and a few small sprigs of watercress. Finally, drizzle over a little olive oil. Serve the toasts alongside the soup, with a bowl of pesto on the side. PER SERVING energy 472 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 10g • carbs 27g • sugars 6g • fibre 8g • protein 20g • salt 1.9g
Minty pesto EASY GLUTEN FREE
MAKES 1 small jar (about 300g) PREP 5 mins NO COOK
In a blender, whizz together a small bunch of mint leaves, a small of bunch basil, 100g flaked toasted almonds, 25g grated Parmesan, 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, the zest of 1/2 lemon and 1 small garlic clove. Season and add a splash of water if the pesto is too thick. Store in the fridge, covered with a layer of oil, for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. PER SERVING (tbsp) energy 78 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 1g • carbs 1g • sugars none • fibre none • protein 2g • salt 0.1g
April 2015
Weekend
ad sal t u rn butte & t l e Seared beef, sp
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Weekend Seared beef, spelt & butternut salad
Feed-a-crowd kedgeree biryani
If you have guests who don’t eat meat, serve theirs with vegetarian blue cheese instead.
Baking the kedgeree like a biryani means that you get a crispy rice topping, plus you can assemble the dish the day before serving. Just pop it in the oven first thing, boil the eggs – and you’re all set.
OF 5 A LITTLE EFFORT FOLATE FIBRE VIT C 2 A DAY
SERVES 8 PREP 35 mins COOK 15 mins
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks 2 fat parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks 2 red onions, cut into wedges 4 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 2 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled 2 sirloin steaks (about 450g/1lb) 100g/4oz hazelnuts 10 sage leaves 2 x 250g pouches ready-cooked spelt or 200g/7oz cooked and left to cool 70g bag rocket FOR THE DRESSING 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp honey 4 tbsp extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the squash, parsnips and onions in a large roasting tin, drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and season well, then mix everything together. Add the garlic to the tin, coating in the oil too, and bake for 40 mins or until the vegetables have softened and are browning at the edges. While the vegetables cook, remove the steaks from the fridge and set aside at room temperature. 2 Add the hazelnuts to a frying pan and heat until toasty brown. Tip onto a plate and wipe out the pan with kitchen paper. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil in the frying pan, then add the sage leaves and fry for 1-2 mins until crispy. Set the sage aside with the hazelnuts, leaving the oil in the pan. Season the steaks and cook for 2-3 mins each side for a rare steak (depending on the thickness) or to your liking. Transfer to another plate, then cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for a few mins. 3 When the vegetables are cooked, remove them from the oven and fsh out the garlic cloves. Using the back of a spoon or your hands, squeeze out the soft garlic pulp into a bowl, discarding the skins. Mash the garlic with a fork, then add the dressing ingredients to the bowl, season, and whisk to combine. 4 Put the spelt in the roasting tray with the vegetables and add most of the hazelnuts. Crumble in the sage leaves and add half the rocket. Drizzle over half the dressing and toss everything together. Tip any juices from the steak over the veg and spelt and thinly slice the steak. Transfer the salad to a big serving platter and top with the sliced steak. Add the remaining hazelnuts and rocket and season with black pepper. Serve the extra dressing on the side. PER SERVING energy 497 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 7g • carbs 30g • sugars 15g • fibre 9g • protein 23g • salt 0.7g
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1 OF 5 A LITTLE EFFORT A DAY
SERVES 8 PREP 35 mins COOK 1 hr 20 mins
Middle Eastern eggs with merguez & pistachios If you can’t find merguez sausages, use chipolatas or sliced chorizo instead. If you haven’t tried sumac, it’s a dark red spice that adds a unique lemony flavour to dishes – great with lamb or dusted generously on barbecued foods before cooking.
Enjoy a special brunch
1 OF 5 EASY FIBRE A DAY
350g/12oz basmati rice 100g/4oz butter 3 onions, halved and thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp turmeric handful curry leaves (fresh are best but dried will do) 4 tbsp mild curry paste (I used tikka masala) 400g can coconut milk 250g/9oz frozen peas zest 1 lemon, then cut into wedges, to serve 500g/1lb 2oz smoked haddock, skinned and cut into chunky pieces 200g/7oz raw king prawns 4 eggs handful coriander leaves 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins
drizzle of olive or rapeseed oil 1 small red onion, chopped 4 merguez sausages 15 cherry tomatoes, halved pinch of sugar (any will do) 2 tsp harissa paste (preferably rose harissa, as it’s fragrant and not too hot) 2 eggs 2 wholemeal pitta breads pinch of sumac or paprika (optional) 2 tbsp Greek yogurt few parsley sprigs, chopped 1 tbsp shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (see page 133 for more on pistachios)
1 Heat a drizzle of oil in a heavy-bottomed, small frying pan – a cast-iron one is perfect. Add the onion and cook for a few mins until soft, then push them to one side of the pan. Add the sausages and fry for 5-10 mins, rolling them around in the pan until golden brown. Add the tomatoes, sugar and harissa, season well and add a splash of water. Cook for 5-10 mins, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes have cooked down to a thick, chunky sauce. 2 Push the sausages aside in the pan so that you can create 2 large holes in the sauce using a spoon. Crack the eggs into the holes and cook for 4-5 mins until the whites are just set and the yolk is still runny. Meanwhile, toast the pitta breads. 3 Sprinkle each egg with a little sumac, dollop on some yogurt, then sprinkle over the parsley and pistachios. Cut each pitta bread in half and serve on the side. PER SERVING energy 633 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 13g • carbs 40g • sugars 10g • fibre 7g • protein 36g • salt 2.1g
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Wine notes Italy’s light whites are ideal choices for springtime entertaining. For the veggie pie (p78), look for varieties like Fiano, Verdicchio and Pecorino. Orvieto Classio 2013, Italy, 12% (£5.49, Tesco) is silky with pear and melon fruit. With the steak salad, the plummy notes of Malbec are sure-fre favourites. Pair the juicy, smoky Estiba I Malbec 2013, Mendoza, Argentina, 13.5% (£5.99, Tesco), to highlight the flavours of the seared beef.
1 Cook the rice following pack instructions, then leave to go completely cold before chilling until ready to assemble. 2 Melt 75g butter in a large frying pan and add the onions. Sweat slowly until golden and caramelised – this will take 15-20 mins. Add the garlic, stir for 1-2 mins, then add the turmeric, curry leaves and curry paste. Sizzle for 1 min more, then pour in the coconut milk. Boil the sauce for 10 mins until roughly reduced by half, then remove from the heat. 3 To assemble the kedgeree, use a deep dish that’s big enough to hold everything (about 25cm x 35cm). Scatter roughly a quarter of the rice over the base of the dish and top with a third of the peas, some lemon zest, half the haddock and a third of the sauce. Season and repeat the process, this time using all the prawns instead of the haddock. Add another haddock layer (you should use all the ingredients here, except the rice). Cover the dish with the remaining rice and dot with the remaining butter. Cover the dish in cling flm, then chill until ready to bake. Can be chilled for up to 24 hrs ahead. 4 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Uncover the dish and bake in the centre of the oven for 45 mins until the top is golden and crunchy. About 10 mins before the kedgeree is ready, bring a pan of water to the boil, then cook the eggs for 7 mins. Plunge the eggs into cold water and leave to cool down for a few mins. 5 To serve, remove the kedgeree from the oven and fuff up the rice with a fork, mixing in the crunchy topping. Peel and halve the eggs and place on top, then scatter over the coriander and chilli. Serve with lemon wedges. PER SERVING energy 506 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 15g • carbs 42g • sugars 4g • fibre 3g • protein 27g • salt 1.9g
April 2015
Weekend
e gere d e k ith New way w
April 2015
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Brioche breakfast bake with crispy bacon This is my take on the classic combination of French toast with maple syrup and bacon. The added bonus is that you can assemble it the night before, then pop it in the oven when you get up. The extra splash of cream makes it a rather indulgent breakfast, so maybe plan on a brisk walk later. EASY
SERVES 4-6 PREP 25 mins plus at least 1 hr chilling COOK 35 mins
3 large eggs 150ml/1/4pt double cream 200ml/7f oz milk
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2 tbsp maple syrup, plus extra to serve 2 tsp vanilla extract 200g punnet blueberries 8 brioche rolls, each one split in half (if your dish is shallow, cut in half again the other way to make shorter pieces) 50g/2oz pecan halves 6-8 rashers of your favourite bacon icing sugar, for dusting
1 In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Tip about two-thirds of the blueberries into a baking dish (about 20cm x 30cm) that is quite deep. Dip each brioche piece into the egg mixture until well soaked, then arrange on top on the blueberries and pour any remaining egg mixture over the top.
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Scatter over the remaining blueberries. Cover with cling flm and chill for 1 hr, or overnight if serving it for breakfast. 2 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Uncover the dish and scatter over the pecans. Bake for 25 mins until the egg mixture is set and the blueberries are starting to burst. Meanwhile, line a baking tray with foil and arrange the bacon on top. When the brioche bake is ready, remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Heat the grill to high and cook the bacon for about 5 mins each side until crispy. 3 Dust the brioche bake with icing sugar and top with the crispy bacon. Serve with extra maple syrup for drizzling. PER SERVING (6) energy 520 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 15g • carbs 34g • sugars 15g • fibre 2g • protein 14g • salt 1.6g
April 2015
Weekend
SERVE IN STYLE
Bamboo salad bowl (28cm) and servers £25, puji.com
One-pan jerk roast chicken Transform your roast chicken with this spice paste. Rub it all over the chicken and leave to marinate in the fridge, ideally for 48 hours. As it cooks, the flavour from the paste will drip into the tin, making the base for a spicy coconut veggie curry to serve alongside the chicken. I’d serve this with fluffy rice and flatbreads. OF 5 GLUTEN EASY FIBRE VIT C 3 A DAY FREE
SERVES 4-6 PREP 30 mins plus at least 2 hrs marinating COOK 2 hrs 10 mins
Party Porcelain paper napkins, £2.95 for 20, luckandluck.co.uk
Cath Kidston Paradise Fields large melamine plate, £6, cathkidston.com
Vigne pottery bowl (15cm), £21.50, boutiqueprovencale.co.uk
Steel cake stand (30cm), £8, sophieallport.com
Cutler wooden cutlery tray, £35, loaf.com
April 2015
1.5kg/3lb 5oz whole chicken 2 red onions, halved, then cut into wedges, leaving the root intact 2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped into chunks 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed 400ml can coconut milk cooked rice and fatbreads, to serve FOR THE JERK PASTE 1 red onion, chopped into large chunks 5 garlic cloves, peeled 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded 3 fat green chillies, deseeded bunch coriander, stalks roughly chopped, and leaves reserved, to serve large bunch thyme, leaves picked zest and juice 2 limes (save the juiced halves for the chicken) 1 tbsp honey 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, plus a drizzle 1 /2 nutmeg, grated 1 tsp ground allspice
1 First make the jerk paste. Put all the ingredients in a food processor, add a good pinch of salt and blend to a fne purée, adding a splash of water if the mixture is struggling to break down. Tie the legs together if you like, and put in a large fameproof roasting tin. Pour over the jerk paste and rub all over and inside the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the juiced lime halves and cover the tray with foil. Chill for up to 48 hrs or a minimum of 2 hrs. 2 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the chicken for 45 mins. 3 Take the chicken out the oven, remove the foil and carefully lift it onto a plate, pouring any juice from the cavity into the tin. Tip the onions, peppers and sweet potatoes into the tin, and season well, then toss in the tray to coat in any residual jerk paste. Put the chicken on top of the veggies and drizzle it with a little oil. Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and return the roasting tin to the middle shelf, uncovered. Roast for a further 45 mins or until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked through – if you have a meat thermometer, check that the temperature has reached 75C.
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Carefully remove the chicken from the tin, place on a plate and wrap in foil, then leave to rest. 4 Place the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat. Stir in the beans and coconut milk, scraping the bottom of the tin to lift off any tasty bits. Simmer until the sauce has thickened a little, then season to taste. If the sauce looks oily, skim the fat off the surface with a spoon. Put the chicken back in the pan and scatter over the coriander leaves before taking to the table. Serve with rice and fatbreads for mopping up the sauce.
Special Sunday lunch
PER SERVING (6) energy 651 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 16g • carbs 37g • sugars 15g • fibre 8g • protein 43g • salt 0.6g
Turn over for a tropical dessert to finish
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Weekend Coconut lime pie Authentic key lime pie is made with a special variety of limes, which are grown only in Florida. This is a variation on the theme – made with ginger biscuits, limes and coconut. If you like to end a meal with a tropical flourish, this new dessert is a winner. EASY
SERVES 6-8 PREP 35 mins plus 4 hrs chilling COOK 5 mins
225g/8oz gingernut biscuits 85g/3oz butter, melted zest and juice 6 fat limes (about 200ml) 405g can condensed milk 2 x 160ml cans coconut cream 300ml pot double cream 2 tbsp icing sugar handful toasted, shaved coconut or toasted desiccated coconut
1 Put the biscuits in a food processor and whizz to fne crumbs. Add the butter and whizz again briefy, then tip the buttery crumbs into a 22cm futed tart tin. Use the
back of a spoon to press the crumbs over the surface and up the sides of the tin until evenly spread and compacted. Make sure that there are no gaps in the crust or the flling will leak. Chill for 10 mins. 2 In a large saucepan, whisk together the lime zest and juice, condensed milk, coconut cream and 100ml double cream. Place on a medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Bubble quite vigorously for 4 mins, then pour into the tart case – this is easiest if you transfer the liquid to a jug and pour straight into the case while it is still in the fridge. Chill for at least 4 hrs or until completely set. 3 When you are ready to serve, lightly whip together the remaining cream and icing sugar until it is just forming soft peaks. Pile it into the centre of the pie and smooth out towards the edges. Scatter over the toasted coconut and serve. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 days. PER SERVING (8) energy 661 kcals • fat 46g • saturates 30g • carbs 54g • sugars 42g • fibre none • protein 7g • salt 0.6g
Food styling LIZZIE HARRIS | Styling LUIS PERAL | Wine notes SARAH JANE EVANS MW
te! favouri w e n r You
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Cake Club
Luis Troyano, from BBC’s Great British Bake Off, creates a beautiful lemon meringue cake – a showstopper for a springtime occasion Photographs DAVID MUNNS
Lemon meringue cake MORE OF A CHALLENGE
SERVES 16 PREP 2 hrs COOK 1 hr
FOR THE LEMON CURD 75g/21/2oz unsalted butter, softened 225g/8oz caster sugar zest 3 lemons 100ml/31/2f oz lemon juice, sieved to remove any seeds and pith 3 large eggs 1 tbsp cornfour FOR THE CARAMEL SUGAR SYRUP 85g/3oz caster sugar FOR THE CAKE 300g/11oz unsalted butter, softened 200g/7oz caster sugar 75g/21/2oz light muscovado sugar 300g/11oz self-raising four 5 medium eggs, beaten 25g/1oz cornfour 1 tsp baking powder zest 4 lemons FOR THE CARAMELISED LEMON SLICES 1 lemon 175g/6oz caster sugar FOR THE ITALIAN MERINGUE 300g/11oz caster sugar 6 medium egg whites 1 /2 tsp cream of tartar
1 Start by making the curd. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together. It will look like it has curdled but don’t worry – simply put the pan over a low heat and stir constantly until it is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Leave to cool, covered with cling flm. Put in the fridge until ready to use, preferably overnight. 2 For the caramel sugar syrup, heat the caster sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until it melts and starts to caramelise. Stir until smooth and a deep golden colour. Remove from the heat and carefully pour in 50ml boiling water. It will steam and spit a little, so take care. (If the sugar hardens, pop the pan back on the heat for 1-2 mins to melt again.) Stir, pour immediately into a heatproof jug and top up with a little extra boiling water (about 10ml) so you have 100ml of liquid in total. Leave on one side to cool. 3 To make the cake, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease 3 x 20cm sandwich tins, lining the bases and sides with baking parchment. 4 In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars with an electric whisk until light and fuffy. Mix in 1 tbsp four, then add the eggs, a little at a time, beating after each addition until fully combined. 5 Mix together the remaining dry ingredients, the lemon zest and 1/2 tsp salt, then fold in to the butter mixture with the caramel sugar syrup. Divide the batter between the tins and level the tops with the back of a wet spoon. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment. Leave to cool completely.
6 Make the caramelised lemon slices while the cakes are baking. Slice the lemon into 5mm thick slices, discarding the ends. In a shallow non-stick pan, bring 350ml water and the sugar to the boil. Add the lemon slices, boil for 10 mins, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20-25 mins until the liquid has evaporated and the slices have caramelised. Remove from the pan and put on a non-stick silicone mat or baking parchment to cool. 7 To assemble the cake. Place a sponge the right way up on a cake board or presentation plate. Top with an even layer of curd but don’t go right to the edge, leave about 1cm uncovered. Gently put the next sponge on top and repeat the process, putting the last sponge upside down on top. 8 To make the Italian meringue, put the sugar and 175ml water in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over a high heat. Continue to boil until it reaches 115C on a sugar thermometer. Meanwhile, put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl (a tabletop mixer is ideal if you have one). Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks (when lifting the whisk out, the peaks should slowly vanish back into the mixture). Whisk the egg whites at high speed and very slowly trickle in the hot syrup. The meringue will begin to thicken and go glossy after about 10 mins. Continue to whisk until it is still just warm. Use the meringue immediately, as it is easier to work with while warm. 9 Using a palette knife, spread a thin layer of meringue around the side of the cake to level and square it up, then spread an even layer about 3mm thick on the top of the cake (pic A, above right). Put the remaining meringue in a large piping bag ftted with a small star nozzle and pipe vertical columns up the side of the cake, level with the top (pic B). Finally, pipe small meringue stars on the top of the columns (pic C). It’s easier to do this with the cake on a turntable. 10 Brown the meringue using a kitchen blowtorch. Finally, cut the caramelised lemon slices in half and use to decorate the top of the cake. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
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PER SERVING energy 557 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 13g • carbs 83g • sugars 67g • fibre 1g • protein 6g • salt 0.6g
If you’ve made Luis’s Lemon meringue cake, we’d love to see your photos – here’s how to join the Club:
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Food styling EDD KIMBER | Styling VICTORIA ALLEN
This takes lemon meringue to another level! The caramelised sugar syrup gives the sponge a deeper favour, while the Italian meringue, which covers the cake, brings to mind a delicious toasted marshmallow. It’s also a lighter alternative to a traditional buttercream coating. I’d recommend making the lemon curd the day before you bake the cake and popping it in the fridge overnight to set. You can also make the sponges the day before, then just wrap them in cling flm when cool.
Next month An amazing bake to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
We’ll feature our favourite photos in the magazine. So get baking!
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April 2015
Weekend
ping Intensely lemony w ith a luscious meringue top
Beyond the Bake Off Luis, a finalist in last year’s Great British Bake Off, says: ‘The most exciting news is that I’ve just finished writing my first recipe book called Bake it Great, which features more than 100 recipes and will be published in September. And I’ve been teaching baking classes to adults, as well as demonstrating at food festivals and shows. ‘Meeting so many new people and having the opportunities to talk about baking and cooking has been amazing. I’ve also been holding a monthly afternoon tea event at the gastropub in my home village of Poynton, Cheshire, where I make all the cakes – and the response from the locals has been fantastic. My wife, Louise, has been incredibly supportive through it all, while retaining her position of chief taster!’
April 2015
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A special Sunday lunch SPRING MENU
Invite friends and family for a relaxing meal created exclusively for Good Food by James Martin, host of BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen Photographs MIKE ENGLISH
Serves 6 Classic potted shrimps Roast leg of lamb with basil & mint pesto Crispy layered thyme potatoes Warm spring vegetables Banoffee cheesecake
Classic potted shrimps This all-time favourite is best made at least the day before and left in the fridge overnight. Traditionally it is presented in individual ramekins, but for a modern twist, you could serve it in a large round dish so everyone can help themselves. EASY
SERVES 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 15 mins plus overnight chilling
100g/4oz unsalted butter 2 pinches of cayenne pepper a generous grating of nutmeg 350g/12oz cooked and peeled North Atlantic prawns or shrimps 1 ciabatta loaf 1 tbsp olive oil 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
Want to get ahead?
n Slice the potatoes the day before, keep
n Make the starter up to 2 days ahead; chill
covered in water and chill. Assemble the potato dish up to two hours before cooking. n Make the pesto frst thing in the morning. Leave in the fridge until you start the lamb. n Take the lamb out of the fridge an hour before you want to start cooking, to bring it to room temperature.
until ready to serve. The toasts can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container. n Make the cheesecake the day before and chill. Take it out of the fridge when you serve the main course, then decorate just before serving.
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1 The day before, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and add the cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Add the prawns or shrimps to the pan, stir to warm through, and season. 2 Using a large slotted spoon, remove the prawns and press them into your ramekins (or serving dish). Allow to cool, then chill for 10-15 mins or until set. Once set, pour the leftover butter in the saucepan over the prawns to cover (you may need to reheat to melt). Return to the fridge to set overnight. 3 Before serving, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the ciabatta into thin slices, drizzle with olive oil and toast on a tray in the oven. Once golden, arrange on a serving board with the potted prawns and lemon wedges alongside. PER SERVING energy 303 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 9g • carbs 21g • sugars 1g • fibre 1g • protein 14g • salt 1.5g
April 2015
Roast leg of lamb with basil & mint pesto
April 2015
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Crispy layered thyme potatoes
Roast leg of lamb with basil & mint pesto If possible, go for new-season British lamb, which is especially tender and fragrant. Scoring the skin ensures the pesto marinade penetrates the meat and gives it extra flavour. A LITTLE EFFORT IRON GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 6 PREP 15 mins plus resting COOK 1 hr 45 mins
2kg/4lb 8oz lamb leg, skin scored (see tip, below) fresh garden herbs and sliced lemon, to serve (optional) FOR THE PESTO 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped small pack basil, leaves only small pack mint, leaves only 25g/1oz pine nuts 25g/1oz grated Parmesan 125ml/4f oz extra virgin olive oil juice 1/2 lemon
1 First, make the pesto. Put all the ingredients (except the olive oil and lemon juice) and a pinch of salt into the small bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very fnely chopped. While the processor is on, drizzle the olive oil in to make a paste. Tip the pesto into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice. 2 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the scored lamb leg in a large roasting tin and use half the pesto to generously coat the skin and fesh, pressing it between all the cracks for extra juiciness. Put the rest of the pesto in the fridge, covered with cling flm, and remove just before serving. 3 Roast the lamb for 1 hr 45 mins. Check during cooking that it’s not drying out – if the base of the roasting tin starts to look dry, spread a little more pesto over the top of the lamb. 4 Remove the lamb from the tin, cover with foil and leave to rest for 30-40 mins before serving on lemon slices and fresh garden herbs, if you like. Carve at the table and serve with the remaining pesto to drizzle over. PER SERVING energy 644 kcals • fat 49g • saturates 15g • carbs 1g • sugars none • fibre none • protein 51g • salt 0.4g
Tip Ask your butcher to score the skin of the meat in 3cm diamonds. Alternatively, you can do this yourself with a utility knife (taking care, and making sure to use a new blade).
Taste team comment
Warm spring vegetables
'The starter was so full of favour, with lots of shrimp per serving. ‘The lamb, basil and mint pesto combination was delicious – I don’t know how you couldn’t enjoy this! The potatoes and veg both went down a treat. ‘The cheesecake had just the right amount of banana favour, and the cream cheese caramel filling was amazing.' JORDAN
Wine notes This springtime menu calls out for an English wine. Welcome your guests with a sparkler, such as Camel Valley, Hush Heath, Gusbourne, Nyetimber or Ridgeview – visit englishwineproducers.co.uk. If you don’t fancy bubbles, try Chapel Down Bacchus 2013, 11% (£71.94 for six bottles, chapeldown.com), which has delicate foral aromas, with the starter. For the main, match the pesto in the lamb with an Italian red such as the hearty yet fruity Extra Special Barbera d’Asti, 14.5% (£8, Asda).
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Weekend
‘Spring is my favourite time of year, when new-season produce like British lamb and early veg hits the shops. This menu is creative yet relaxed, with most of the work done ahead’
Ba no ffee che esec ake April 2015
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Crispy layered thyme potatoes
Warm spring vegetables
To get ahead, peel and slice your potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to assemble. If possible, don’t rush the layering – this is what makes the dish look so special.
This is a lovely way to serve vegetables. Depending on the weather, British asparagus should be hitting the shops any time now. Once homegrown peas and broad beans are available, use those instead of frozen – they will need to be cooked until nearly tender in the boiling water, with the asparagus added for the final 2 minutes.
FIBRE GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins COOK 45-50 mins
2kg/4lb 8oz white potatoes 140g/5oz butter, melted small pack thyme, leaves only sea salt or rock salt (if you have it)
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Slice the peeled potatoes as fnely as possible on a mandolin, with the fne slicing blade of a food processor, or with a very sharp knife. (The more fnely you slice them, the quicker and more evenly they will cook.) 2 Pat the potatoes dry with a clean tea towel and tip into a large bowl. Pour over the melted butter, sprinkle over the thyme and some salt (preferably sea salt or rock salt), and toss until each slice is coated in butter. 3 In a roasting tin, measuring about 20 x 20cm, assemble the potato slices vertically, tightly packed together like a deck of cards, until the dish is full and you’ve used all the potatoes. Sprinkle with a little more salt and place in the oven for 45-50 mins until crisp and cooked. Use a skewer or small sharp knife to check that the potatoes are completely soft and cooked in the centre. Serve from the tin alongside the lamb.
Banoffee cheesecake A match made in heaven – cheesecake meets banoffee pie! The cheesecake is made a day ahead. On the day, take it out of the fridge about half an hour before serving and set out everything you need for step 5. Once the main course is out of the way, set aside 5-10 minutes to attend to the stunning topping. Catch James every week on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen Live at 10am
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A LITTLE EFFORT
SERVES 8-10 PREP 25 mins plus at least 4 hrs chilling COOK 5 mins
EASY
LOW VIT C 1 OF 5 GOOD GLUTEN FAT A DAY 4 YOU FREE
SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 2-3 mins
2 large courgettes, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler juice 1 lemon 200g/7oz asparagus spears, washed and trimmed 100g/4oz frozen peas 100g/4oz frozen broad beans 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil small pack parsley, roughly chopped
1 Put the courgette ribbons in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and the lemon juice. 2 Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the asparagus for 2 mins, adding the frozen peas and broad beans for the fnal min. Drain well, pod the broad beans and toss together with the courgette ribbons. Drizzle over the olive oil, sprinkle on parsley and season to taste. PER SERVING energy 63 kcals • fat 2g • saturates none • carbs 4g • sugars 2g • fibre 4g • protein 4g • salt 0.1g
Plating up
PER SERVING energy 440 kcals • fat 20g • saturates 12g • carbs 55g • sugars 2g • fibre 6g • protein 7g • salt 0.4g
If there’s any pesto left after you’ve served the lamb, drizzle it over the veg.
FOR THE BASE 200g/7oz digestive biscuits, crushed 100g/4oz butter, melted, plus extra for frying 4 bananas, peeled and sliced FOR THE CHEESECAKE 150ml/1/4pt double cream 3 x 280g tubs full-fat cream cheese 85g/3oz icing sugar, sifted 1 tbsp maple syrup 300g/11oz dulce de leche or caramel sauce (I used Carnation) FOR THE TOPPING 150ml/1/4pt double cream (keep chilled, it whips faster) 25g/1oz dulce de leche or caramel 1 banana, cut into 8-10 slices
icing sugar in another large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese, as well as the maple syrup and the dulce de leche. 4 Spoon the sweet cream cheese flling into the cake tin, covering the bananas, and use the back of a spoon or palette knife to spread evenly. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hrs (preferably overnight) to set. 5 For the topping, whip the cream, put into a piping bag with a medium star-shaped nozzle and set aside. Melt the dulce de leche over a low heat in a small saucepan with a splash of water until it can be drizzled (dulce de leche varies, so you may need to add more water). Place in a second piping bag (or plastic bag) and snip the very end off it, to leave a tiny hole. 6 Starting from the edge of the cake, swirl the dulce de leche sauce in a circular motion around the cake. Pipe 10-12 medium-sized swirls of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake and rest a fresh banana slice on each. Serve immediately.
1 For the base, mix the digestives with the melted butter in a bowl. Spoon the mixture into a 23cm springform cake tin and press frmly over the base with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge. 2 Heat a frying pan until hot and add a knob of butter and the bananas, frying for 2-3 mins until golden brown. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. 3 Arrange the cooled bananas on top of the biscuit base. For the cheesecake, whisk the double cream using an electric whisk until softly whipped. Put the cream cheese and
bbcgoodfood.com
PER SERVING (10) energy 877 kcals • fat 71g • saturates 43g • carbs 52g • sugars 39g • fibre 1g • protein 7g • salt 1.2g
• James is appearing at the Good Food Show Summer, 11-14 June, at the NEC Birmingham. Visit bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com for details.
April 2015
Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE | Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN | Wine notes SARAH JANE EVANS MW
A LITTLE EFFORT
HOME COOKING SERIES
Create something special with our Bakes & cakes magazine
Rum, date & banana loaf
Passion fruit layer cake
James Martin’s Croissants
ON SALE NOW There’s over 100 delicious recipes in the latest Bakes & cakes magazine for you to try. From stunning cakes and teatime treats to perfect pies there’s something for everyone! Visit the Apple App store to download previous digital issues in the Home Cooking Series, including our Vegetarian and Eat Well editions.
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Tom’s caramel chocolate tart This month, BBC chef and presenter Tom Kerridge creates an impressive chocolate tart exclusively for Good Food Photographs ROB STREETER
Completely make-ahead!
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April 2015
Weekend
One of the French phrases that is widely used in professional kitchens is ‘mise en place’, which means being prepared or, literally, putting everything in its place. About half an hour before every lunch and dinner service, chefs will bark at each other: ‘En place?’, meaning ‘Are you ready?’ This explains why you can be served a slow-cooked meat dish just 30 minutes after you ordered it, and a stunning dessert is ready half an hour after your main course. The cooking was done long before you arrived at the restaurant. This beautiful chocolate tart is a great example of a make-ahead dessert that takes the stress out of entertaining. Every element of this tart is prepared ahead, as it would be in the pastry section of my restaurant. So all you need to do on the day is bring it out of the kitchen, sit down and enjoy it with everyone else. Then humbly accept their praise!
NEW RECIPE created for
Double chocolate & caramel tart, frosted pistachios & rum cream This is a really special dessert, however, if you want to make a simplified version, you could forgo the pistachios and the cream. Simply sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over the caramel layer before adding the chocolate and, hey presto, you’ve got a salted caramel & chocolate tart. A LITTLE EFFORT
SERVES 8-10 PREP 40 mins plus chilling COOK 50 mins
FOR THE PASTRY 175g/6oz plain four, plus a little for dusting 85g/3oz icing sugar 50g/2oz 70% good-quality cocoa powder 140g/5oz butter, chilled and cubed 2 medium egg yolks, lightly beaten FOR THE FILLING 397g can of caramel or dulce de leche (I used Carnation Cook with Caramel) 250g/9oz dark chocolate, plus extra to serve 100ml/31/2f oz milk 175ml/6f oz double cream 2 eggs FOR THE FROSTED PISTACHIOS 75g/21/2oz shelled pistachios 140g/5oz golden caster sugar FOR THE RUM CREAM 250ml/9f oz double cream 50g/2oz icing sugar 50ml/2f oz dark rum
1 To make the pastry, sift the four, icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fngers until it matches the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and mix with your fngers until it forms a soft paste. You may need to add a little iced water. You can do this in a food processor, pulsing the ingredients together if you prefer. Wrap the pastry in cling flm and put in the fridge for at least 1 hr to rest. Can be made 2 days ahead. 2 Take the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly foured surface, to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a 23cm loose-based tart tin, making sure you work the pastry right into the crease and have it slightly overlapping the rim. Chill the pastry for 1 hr more. 3 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the chilled tart base with baking parchment, then fll with baking beans or rice and bake for 20 mins. Remove the pastry from the oven, take out the baking beans and parchment, and cook for a further 15-20 mins or until the base is crisp. Leave to cool. 4 Once cooled, use a sharp knife to trim the excess pastry to leave a smooth edge. Spread the caramel over the base of the tart and place the whole thing in the freezer for at least 1 hr. Can be prepared to this stage up to 1 week ahead. 5 The next day, heat oven to 140C/120C fan/ gas 1. To make the chocolate flling, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water until just melted and set aside. In a separate pan, bring the milk and cream to the boil, stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn at the bottom. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy, then pour the hot cream onto the eggs while whisking. Pass this mixture through a sieve onto the melted chocolate and mix fairly quickly. 6 Take the tart out of the freezer and pour the chocolate custard on top of the caramel. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until there is only a slight wobble. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 2 hrs, or chill in the fridge for 1 hr before slicing. Can be done the day before. 7 Meanwhile, make your frosted pistachios. Put the sugar and 30ml water in a pan, bring to the boil, then reduce by half – but don’t let it caramelise. Add the nuts and stir to crystallise the sugar. Tip onto a sheet of baking parchment and leave to cool. 8 To make the rum cream, put the cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to soft peaks, then pour in the rum and whisk until frm. Place in the fridge to chill. 9 When you’re ready to serve, crush the frosted nuts roughly with a pestle and mortar, then scatter over the top. Add neat spoonfuls or quenelles of the cream on top, then coat the tart in a layer of fnely grated chocolate, and serve. PER SERVING (10) energy 850 kcals • fat 54g • saturates 31g • carbs 73g • sugars 56g • fibre 5g • protein 11g • salt 0.5g
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
Want to get ahead? You can make my tart over several days: • You can make the pastry up to 1 month in advance and freeze it. Or 2 days in advance, then chill it. • Bake the tart case and fill with caramel, then freeze it up to 1 week ahead. • You can make the frosted pistachios 2 days ahead. Keep them in an airtight container. • The chocolatefilled tart can be made the day before and kept in the fridge. • Make the rum cream the day before. Cover it and keep in the fridge. • Assemble the finished tart several hours before serving, then keep in the fridge.
Next month Tom’s Baked lemon sole
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Richard’s family bake-off
Richard Burr, a fnalist in last year’s BBC Great British Bake Off, shares recipes he likes to cook with his daughters Elizabeth, fve, and Genevieve, three Photographs DAVID MUNNS
Mini top-you r-o wn
pi zz a s
‘My daughters love getting involved in the mixing, kneading and cutting out’
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bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Cranberry & orange hot cross buns Jammy dodger flowers
April 2015
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BUILDING A CAREER IN BAKING
Mini top-yourown pizzas
Builder Richard Burr, 39, captured the nation’s imagination during the BBC’s Great British Bake Off with his enthusiasm and ever-present pencil behind his ear. He was awarded star baker for a record-breaking five consecutive weeks, and got through to the final. He still loves to bake and is working on his first cookbook
These are easy to make and the kids love to pick their own toppings and try different combinations.
cooking will enable them to feed themselves (and others) well for the rest of their lives. As well as making time to cook things from scratch, I get my girls involved at every opportunity – grating cheese or cracking eggs. It’s a lovely way to spend a bit of time with them.
EASY
MAKES 6 PREP 1 hr 25 mins plus 1 hr 15 mins rising and proving COOK 20 mins
FOR THE PIZZA BASE 300g/11oz strong white bread four, plus extra for kneading 1 tbsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp caster sugar 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing the bowl FOR THE PIZZA SAUCE 150ml/1/4pt passata small pack basil, leaves picked and fnely chopped 1 tsp mixed herbs FOR THE TOPPINGS choose your favourites (we used black olives, yellow peppers, salami and grated cheddar) 200g ball mozzarella, torn into small pieces
You’re a keen vegetable gardener. Do your children get involved too? Yes, Elizabeth is really starting to get it – she helps me sow seeds, and with other jobs. Your desert island bake? Savoury pinwheels.
How did you come to enter the show? My wife, Sarah, kept saying that I should apply. Then on New Year’s Eve 2013, we saw that year’s winner, Frances Quinn, in the audience at Jools Holland’s Hootenanny. Sarah shook the entry form at me and said, ‘That could be you next year!’ Amazingly, I got on the show. Are you still in touch with the other finalists? Totally; we’re all in frequent conversation via texts, and I regularly go for a pint with Iain Watters. What is the first thing you ever baked? I had a cookbook called Neat Eats and I remember making pancakes from it for my mum and dad every night for about a month. Strangely, the book disappeared after that.
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Have your building skills helped your baking? Both disciplines are tactile, so there’s a lot of crossover. Plastering a wall and icing a cake neatly is practically the same movement, but one uses a trowel and the other a palette knife. Tell us about your new book. I’m an amateur baker who has made lots of mistakes, so I’ve tried to write it for people like me who want to have a go at baking but don’t understand professional jargon. It’s called BIY: Bake It Yourself and is a mix of familiar and new bakes with three levels of skill involved, but anyone will be able to bake from it. How important is it for kids to learn to cook? It’s a life skill that is just as vital as anything else you teach your children. We all have to eat, so normalising food and
Guilty pleasure? Monkey bread (see page 15 for our recipe) is totally irresistible, and there aren’t many baked desserts that you can pop in the middle of the table and let everyone tear and share. Your view on the current concerns over sugar? We have to be aware of what we eat and what we feed our children. I feel that as long as you keep your family ft and healthy most of the time, the occasional treat won’t hurt – especially if it’s home-baked, so you know exactly what went into it. Cake or bread? Bread. Paul or Mary? Paul – we are both bread men. Any advice for future contestants? Don’t take it too seriously. Mistakes happen when you’re nervous, not when you’re enjoying yourself.
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• You can follow Richard on his weekly blog at richardburr.london • The Great British Bake Off will be back on BBC One later this year
1 Put the four in a large bowl. Add a little salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other side. Sprinkle over the sugar, together with a spoon, and add the oil and 190ml warm water. Combine with a spoon until all the four comes away from the sides of the bowl, then tip onto a foured surface. Knead for 5-10 mins or until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a clean bowl, add the dough, cover with cling flm and leave to rise for 1 hr. 2 Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pour the passata into a saucepan, add the basil and mixed herbs, then season and bring to the boil over a low heat. Simmer gently for 5 mins, then set aside to cool. Chop the toppings. 3 Once the dough has risen, tip it out, knock out the air and divide into 6 equal parts. Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 and place 2 large baking sheets in the oven. 4 Roll out the dough on a lightly foured surface into a circle around 15cm in diameter. Pick up the circle of dough and toss about a metre up, spinning it in the air. Catch it on the back of your hand, so your fngers don’t poke through the dough. Do this at least 3 times to achieve a thin central base and a thicker outside crust. Alternatively, you could carry on rolling, but it’s not as much fun! 5 Lay the bases onto baking parchment (2 bases on 1 piece of parchment) and carefully slide each pair inside a plastic bag ‘tent’ for 15 mins to prove again. 6 After the second rise, spread the sauce over the bases and add the and mozzarella. Take the baking sheets out the oven and quickly slide the pizzas (still on their baking parchment) on top. You can cook 2-3 pizzas per tray. Return to the oven and bake for 12 mins. Take out, slice and eat. PER SERVING energy 293 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 5g • carbs 37g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 14g • salt 0.8g
April 2015
Weekend Cranberry & orange hot cross buns The smell of these always draws my children to the kitchen. For me, itÕs what EasterÕs all about. EASY
MAKES 16 small buns PREP 45 mins plus 2 hrs rising and proving COOK 22 mins
FOR THE BUNS zest of 2 oranges and juice of 1 100g/4oz dried cranberries 250ml/9f oz milk 50g/2oz unsalted butter, diced 1 large egg 500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread four, plus extra for kneading 1 tbsp fast-action dried yeast 2 tsp mixed spice 100g/4oz caster sugar a little oil, for greasing butter, to serve FOR THE CROSSES 75g/21/2oz plain four FOR THE GLAZE juice 1 orange 5 tbsp apricot jam
1 Put the orange zest in a bowl and set aside. Pour the juice into another bowl, add 75ml boiling water and the dried cranberries, then leave to soak. 2 Meanwhile, pour the milk into a saucepan, add the butter and heat over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has just melted. Turn off the heat and beat in the egg by hand. 3 Mix together the bread four, yeast, 1 tsp salt, and the mixed spice and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the four and pour in the milk mixture. 4 Drain the cranberries and add to the bowl with the orange zest, then mix into the dough with a wooden spoon until it comes together enough to handle without getting too sticky. 5 Tip out onto a foured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth and elastic – you’ll need to keep poking the cranberries into the mix as you go. Grease a bowl with a little oil, then add the dough and cover with cling flm. Leave somewhere warm to rise for 1 hr. 6 Once risen to twice the size, turn out the dough onto a lightly foured surface. Knock
it back by kneading for about 1 min – this 444get all the large air holes out and give you nice even buns. 7 Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, roll into balls and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment. Put a plastic bag over the baking sheets and leave to prove for 1 hr more. 8 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix together the plain four and 5 tbsp water in a bowl to a sticky consistency. Spoon into a piping bag with a small opening, or use a 2mm nozzle, and pipe crosses onto each risen bun. Put the buns in the oven for 20-22 mins until brown on top. 9 While the buns are baking, make the glaze. Pour the orange juice into a saucepan and mix in the jam. Bring to the boil over a low heat, then simmer for 3-5 mins – you’ll need to keep an eye on this the whole time and stir it to stop it sticking. Once the buns are cooked, put them on a wire rack and immediately paint with the glaze. Leave to cool, then eat with butter. Will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container. PER BUN energy 224 kcals • fat 4g • saturates 2g • carbs 41g • sugars 15g • fibre 1g • protein 6g • salt 0.1g
Pass on an Easter baking tradition to a new generation
April 2015
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Weekend
u sc bi the out Cutting
it sh ap es is like play ing w ith
Jammy dodger fowers A LITTLE EFFORT
MAKES 16 PREP 1 hr plus chilling COOK 12 mins
370ml jar strawberry jam FOR THE BISCUITS 100g/4oz unsalted butter, softened 175g/6oz caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla paste 200g/7oz plain four, plus extra for dusting
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1 To make the biscuits, mix together the butter and sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla, and continue to beat by hand until fully incorporated. You will need to scrape the edges of the bowl down for this part. 2 Tip the four into the mixture and fold together until fully combined, then shape into a ball. Roll the dough out onto a foured sheet of baking parchment to a depth of around 5mm. Transfer the sheet to a baking tray and put in the fridge for 10 mins to frm up. 3 Remove from the fridge and press out your biscuits using a 6cm fower-shaped cutter (you could use any shaped cutters to make these). You will need 16 base biscuits and 16 top biscuits, with small holes or fowers of around 3cm cut out of them. 4 Recombine your dough off-cuts and reroll them on a foured surface. Try to be fairly
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clay
quick doing this, as the mixture will warm up and get sticky. If it does, just pop it back in the fridge to frm up again. 5 Once the shapes are cut out, arrange on 2 baking sheets lined with baking parchment and leave to cool in the fridge for 10 mins. 6 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake the biscuits for 7 mins, then take them out of the oven and sprinkle the tops with caster sugar. Return all the biscuits to the oven and cook for a further 5 mins. Take out and allow to cool fully on a wire rack. When cool, spread jam on the bottom biscuit and top with another biscuit, sandwiching them together. Will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Food styling NANCY McDOUGALL | Styling VICTORIA ALLEN
‘With two little girls in the house, a lot of my baking is pink, heart-shaped or fower-shaped. These sandwich biscuits are delicious, and the kids like helping to make them almost as much as they love eating them’
PER SERVING energy 152 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 3g • carbs 24g • sugars 15g • fibre 1g • protein 2g • salt none
April 2015
WIN an amazing food lovers’ cruise
PRIZE WORTH £6,000
Explore the British Isles and meet James Martin, Mary Berry and Theo Randall on this food-themed voyage Win a fantastic 12-night luxury British Isles cruise – worth up to £6,000 – with P&O Cruises on board their newest ship, Britannia. The runner-up will receive an iconic KitchenAid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer. This Food Heroes cruise departs Southampton on 6 July 2015. On board will be celebrity chefs James Martin, Mary Berry and Theo Randall, who will be teaching cookery classes, hosting exclusive chef’s table dinners and participating in Q&A sessions. n Britannia is the biggest ship built for the British cruise market and offers a sophisticated, contemporary holiday experience. This includes health and beauty options, shopping and entertainment, with a focus on fne dining. n The cruise celebrates the beautiful landscapes, diverse cultures and fascinating histories of Britain and Ireland. On the journey north you’ll visit Edinburgh, Invergordon, Kirkwall, Greenock, Liverpool, Dublin Bay, Cobh (near Cork) and St Peter Port in Guernsey. n The prize is a cruise for two adults sharing a superior deluxe balcony cabin with full board (includes all main meals, afternoon teas and entertainment). You’ll also enjoy a two-hour class for two people at The Cookery Club with Mary Berry and James Martin, and a hosted dinner for two people at The Cookery Club’s chef’s table with Theo Randall, plus receive £200 to spend on board.
Britannia’s impressive atrium
Cruise on the new Britannia
For more information on P&O Cruises, visit pocruises.com or call 0843 373 0111. Meet celebrity chefs James Martin, Theo Randall and Mary Berry on board
Terms and conditions The promoter of this competition is Immediate Media Company London Ltd, Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT. Closing date for entries is 11.59pm on 29 April 2015. The prize includes a 12-night British Isles cruise with P&O Cruises for two adults sharing a superior deluxe balcony cabin. The cruise is full board, including on-board main meals (excluding speciality restaurants where a cover charge applies), entertainment and most on-board facilities. Prize does not include: travel to or from the ship, travel insurance, shore excursions, or any other personal expenses such as for drinks, spa treatments, or gratuities, or the cost of any travel documentation or visa. Adequate travel insurance and valid travel documentation are conditions of travel and the winner and their guest must arrange these themselves. The winner and their guest must be over 18 years of age. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and not redeemable for cash or any other prize. P&O Cruises reserves the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value if the prize offered is not available. Please visit bbcgoodfood.com/competitions for full terms and conditions.
RUNNER-UP PRIZE KitchenAid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
For a chance to win, complete your details online at bbcgoodfood.com/competitions
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HOW TO ENTER
Enter now at bbcgoodfood.com/competitions April 2015
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“Its gorgeous, floral, silky, spicy, coriander-seed and juniper-laced, 41.6 per cent London Dry Gin, is the dream bottle to buy” THE TIMES
www.sipsmith.com
TV recipes
This month
• Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites • Saturday Kitchen Live • 100 Years of the WI
Crowd-pleasing recipes from the WI, two of Mary Berry’s favourite dishes, plus a taste of Spain from Saturday Kitchen
CHEFS’ SPECIALS
Edited by KATHRYN CUSTANCE Recipes tested by Home economist PETRA JACKSON
April 2015
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Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites Two of Mary’s much-loved dishes, ideal for a family buffet this spring. Her new series starts soon on BBC Two
Apricot frangipane tart An apricot and frangipane filling in a crisp pastry case makes a smart, delicate tart. When filling the pastry case, it’s best to add the apricots at the last moment, so that the juices don’t make the base wet. If time is short, you could use a 500g pack of shopbought shortcrust pastry. You will need a round, 28cm loosebottomed fluted flan tin. A LITTLE EFFORT
SERVES 8-10 PREP 1 hr 20 mins COOK 50 mins
• In her new six-part BBC Two series, Mary Berry revisits the places and food she loves most, reliving the moments from her past that inspire her cooking. After prawning on the coast and fy-fshing on the River Test, Mary is back in her kitchen where she is most at home, cooking irresistible recipes using just a few simple, accessible ingredients.
FOR THE PASTRY 175g plain four, plus extra for dusting 75g cold butter, cubed 25g golden caster sugar 1 egg, beaten FOR THE FILLING 75g butter, softened 75g golden caster sugar 2 eggs, beaten 75g ground almonds, plus extra for sprinkling (optional) 1 /2 tsp almond extract 2 x 400g cans apricot halves in natural juice, drained (reserving the juice) 125g icing sugar, sifted
1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5 and put a heavy baking sheet inside to heat up. Mix the four and
Watermelon, feta, cucumber & mint salad This is my favourite salad at the moment – fresh, full of flavour and with a crunchy texture. Any small black seeds left in the watermelon after deseeding can be eaten, although I prefer to remove the larger ones. This is best made and served on the same day.
butter in a food processor or by hand, rubbing the four and butter together with your fngertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix briefy, then add the egg and 1/2-1 tbsp of cold water. Mix until the dough just holds together. 2 Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible on a foured surface and use it to line the tin, making a small lip around the top. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork. 3 Next make the frangipane flling. Put the butter and sugar in the food processor (no need to wash it out frst) and whizz until creamy. Blend in the eggs, then mix in the ground almonds and almond extract. Alternatively, beat with a wooden spoon if making by hand. 4 Arrange the apricots over the pastry base and spoon the frangipane mixture on top, spreading evenly to cover the apricots. Sit the tart tin on the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45-50 mins, or until the pastry is crisp and the tart is golden brown. Leave to cool. 5 To fnish, make a glacé icing by mixing together the icing sugar and 1-2 tbsp of the reserved apricot juice, adding just enough to give a pouring consistency and for the icing to hold its shape. Using a spoon, zigzag the icing over the tart and leave to set.
Mary’s tips • The apricots need to be as dry as possible, so dry each one individually with kitchen paper. • Sprinkling extra ground almonds onto the pastry base before adding the apricots helps to absorb extra moisture. • Fully made and cooked, the tart can be kept in the fridge, covered in foil, for 1 day. Then reheat in a low oven to serve. • The tart can be frozen – defrost at room temperature before serving. • The pastry freezes well, as a block or ready rolled and lining the tart tin.
Recipes adapted from Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites by Mary Berry (£25, BBC Books). Photographs © Georgia Glynn Smith. You can buy the book for just £21. Call 01326569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkledirect.com/ goodfood. Mary Berry will be cooking live at the Good Food Show Spring in Harrogate from 10-12 April, and the Good Food Show Summer at Birmingham’s NEC from 11-14 June. For information and tickets, visit bbcgoodfoodshow.com
1 Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthways and, using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Slice into crescent shapes. 2 Layer the watermelon, cucumber, feta and olives in a bowl, repeat again, then sprinkle with the chopped mint. 3 For the dressing, whisk together the oil and lemon juice, season and pour into the bowl. Serve chilled.
EASY
SERVES 6 as a main dish or 10-12 as part of a buffet PREP 10 mins NO COOK 1
/2 cucumber 1 /2 small watermelon, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes 200g good-quality feta cheese, crumbled into small cubes 50g pitted black olives in oil, halved small bunch mint, chopped FOR THE DRESSING 4 tbsp olive oil (or oil reserved from the olives) juice of 1/2 lemon
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Petra says: ‘This delightful dish takes me back to gorgeous holidays in Greece, where this style of salad is so popular. Every morning and evening, a little van overladen with watermelons would appear along the coast road and the call of “Karpouzi! Karpouzi!” from the loudhailer would summon you to buy. As even the smallest was the size of a giant rugby ball (and cost buttons), it was a challenge to get one into the apartment’s tiny fridge.’
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April 2015
TV recipes
Saturday Kitchen Live
José Pizarro is one of the chefs cooking with James Martin this month. The show starts at 10am each Saturday on BBC One
Three cheers for cheese & beers
Over the past 15 years, the people, places and foods featured in the BBC Food and Farming Awards reveal a fascinating transformation of British food, says Dan Saladino (below), producer of The Food Programme
Spicy lamb albondigas (meatballs) You can make the meatballs and sauce ahead of time, then just cook when ready. Serve with a big bowl of crisp salad leaves, simply dressed with olive oil and vinegar, and a chilled bottle of Spanish white wine. A LITTLE EFFORT
SERVES 4 PREP 1 hr plus soaking COOK 1 hr 40 mins
FOR THE ALBONDIGAS 40g crustless white bread 3 tbsp milk 125g thinly sliced Serrano ham, fnely chopped 600g lamb mince 2 garlic cloves, crushed 11/2 tsp cumin seeds, freshly ground 11/2 tsp coriander seeds, freshly ground 1 /2 tsp hot paprika 2 tbsp chopped fat-leaf parsley olive oil, for frying FOR THE SAUCE 3 tbsp olive oil 150g shallots, fnely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 /2 tsp crushed dried chillies 800g vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and chopped 200ml Fino Sherry 200ml chicken stock 2 bay leaves FOR THE PATATAS FRITAS vegetable oil, for deep-frying 3 large potatoes, cut into matchsticks TO FINISH small handful chopped fat-leaf parsley extra virgin olive oil
April 2015
1 To make the albondigas, soak the bread in the milk for about 5 mins, then squeeze out the excess milk. Put the bread, ham, lamb mince, garlic, spices and parsley in a bowl. Season well, then shape the mixture into about 40 even-sized meatballs. 2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the meatballs in batches for 4-5 mins, turning so they brown all over. Set aside. 3 To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a shallow pan and fry the shallots, garlic and chillies over a low heat for about 10 mins, or until very soft. Stir in the tomatoes, Sherry and stock. Add the bay leaves and season. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 hr, stirring every now and again, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Add the meatballs and simmer for 5 mins, or until thoroughly heated through. 4 Meanwhile, cook the patatas fritas. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 120C. Cook the potatoes for 2-3 mins or until just softened slightly, then remove from the oil. Increase the heat and, when the temperature reaches 180C, return the potatoes to the oil and cook for 4-5 mins until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt. 5 To serve, spoon the meatballs and sauce onto warmed plates and scatter with chopped parsley. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve with the patatas fritas.
About José The Spanish chef, who joins James in the studio on Saturday 18 April, has worked at leading Spanish restaurants, including Eyre Brothers, Gaudí and Brindisa. In 2011 he opened his frst solo venture – José, a tapas and Sherry bar near London Bridge – to critical acclaim, quickly followed by Pizarro, just a few yards down the road.
Cheese dominated the early years of the Awards, which launched in 2000. Neal’s Yard Dairy was the frst winner of the Best Local Food Retailer category and, in the Best Food Producer category, Pam and Nick Rodway from Moray, in Scotland, were early recipients. They caught the judges’ attention as they were making Scottish Dunlop cheese from unpasteurised whole milk, developed from a 400-year-old recipe, as part of a desire to bring back a forgotten favour. Cheese expert Juliet Harbutt explains: ‘The early years of the BBC awards captured the surge in new producers. In the mid-1990s, there were fewer than 100 cheesemakers – by the year 2000 that had increased to 700.’ Cheeses now regarded as modern British classics, such as Cornish Yarg, Stinking Bishop and Lincolnshire Poacher, became established around that time. Fifteen years on, the growth in nominations refects the fact that the UK now boasts 1,000 different cheeses. An equally dramatic story can be seen in nominations for Best Drinks Producer category. Over the years we’d noticed more submissions for wine, spirit and soft-drink producers, brewers and cider-makers, and by 2010 this growing population of skilled entrepreneurs deserved a category of its own. Beer and brewing provides the best illustration. As Pete Brown, a judge and beer writer, points out: ‘In 2000 there were around 500 breweries in the UK. Fifteen years on, that number has nearly trebled to 1,400 – the highest number of breweries we’ve had in the UK since the 1930s.’ Last year’s winner, Thornbridge, is based near Bakewell, Derbyshire. Its origins lay in brewing traditional cask ales, but its reputation has been made developing experimental, highly hopped, American-infuenced beers.
What will the next 15 years hold? If you speak to the judges – Angela Hartnett, Giorgio Locatelli, Diana Henry and Cyrus Todiwala – there are two points of view. On the positive side, we should expect even more innovation and experimentation, with a new generation of start-up food businesses to enjoy (our Best Street Food/Takeaway category is a great illustration of this trend). However, the stories we read in the nominations remind us that this is never an easy business. At the beginning of the year we heard how the dairy farmers who underpin the UK’s cheesemaking success were struggling with low milk prices. That acts as a reminder that there will be more drama as well as deliciousness to feature in these awards in the coming years.
The winners of the Food and Farming Awards will be announced on 30 April. The Food Programme is on Radio 4 on Sundays at 12.30, repeated on Monday.
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100 Years of the WI
Historian Lucy Worsley marks the centenary of the Women’s Institute in a special documentary coming soon on BBC Two. Try these classic recipes recreated from the WI archives
• Recipes for sponge cakes have appeared in WI publications going back to the earliest days of the movement, and the debate on what makes a perfect Victoria still rages on. Butter or margarine, or a mix of both? To sift or double-sift the four? To add vanilla? Is it a sandwich or a sponge?
Victoria sandwich
Rabbit pie
The quintessential British cake, a Victoria sponge, remains a staple of many WI meetings. The rules when judging are precise: only raspberry jam for the filling; a dusting of caster sugar, NEVER icing sugar, to finish; and a 20cm (8in) diameter.
Eating rabbit makes as much sense today as it did 100 years ago. Wild rabbits are plentiful, free-range and the meat is lean, with a mild gamey flavour. We’ve updated the recipe and cooked it with a suet pastry crust.
A LITTLE EFFORT
A LITTLE EFFORT
MAKES 20cm cake PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins
SERVES 4-6 PREP 1 hr 15 mins COOK 1 hr 40 mins
3 medium eggs, weighed in their shells (about 170g) same weight as the eggs in softened butter or soft margarine, caster sugar and self-raising four homemade or good-quality raspberry jam, to fll
1 tbsp olive oil 2 rabbits, jointed (ask your butcher to do this), or 1.2kg diced rabbit 175g smoked streaky bacon, rind removed, diced 1 large onion, fnely chopped 1 large carrot, diced 2 tbsp each chopped fat-leaf parsley and thyme 300ml dry cider (or water) 15g butter 1 tbsp plain four FOR THE PASTRY 225g self-raising four 100g suet beaten egg, to glaze
1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the bases of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. 2 Cream the butter or margarine with the caster sugar until very pale and fuffy. Beat the eggs, then gradually add to the mixture, a tablespoonful at a time, beating well. 3 Sift the four and gently fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. Divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins and level the surfaces, making a slight hollow in the centre to allow the cakes to rise. 4 Bake for 25-30 mins on the same shelf in the oven, or until well risen and golden. The cakes should have shrunk from the side of the tin and spring back when touched. 5 Remove the cakes from the tins and turn out onto a wire rack to cool. When cold, sandwich them together with the jam and dust with caster sugar.
Petra says: ‘I can’t remember the last time I made a Victoria sandwich properly – by which I mean using the creaming method described here. I tend to just throw everything in the food processor, so I was curious about the result. I must say, I was mighty pleased. I gave the butter and sugar a good fve minutes’ beating with the electric mixer and found that the eggs whisked in without curdling. The cake rise was as good as the all-in-one method, which uses a dose of baking powder to help.’ 108
1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the rabbit joints and bacon. Brown well on all sides, then transfer to a large pan. Add the onion, carrot and herbs, and season. Pour in enough cider or water to just cover. Bring to simmering point and skim off any bits of scum. Cover and leave to simmer gently for about 1 hr or until the meat comes easily off the bone. 2 Meanwhile, mix the four and suet with plenty of seasoning in a bowl. Add 3-4 tbsp cold water and mix with the blade of a knife to form soft dough that leaves the bowl cleanly. 3 Remove the rabbit pieces and pull the meat from the bones. Put in a pie dish with the bacon and vegetables. Simmer the rabbit stock until reduced by half. Mash the butter and four together to form a paste, then whisk into the stock in the saucepan, a little at a time. Bring to the boil, whisking and simmering until thickened. Season and pour over the rabbit mixture. 4 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly foured work surface until 2.5cm wider than pie dish. Cut a 2.5cm strip from the edge of the pastry and press onto the dampened rim. Brush with water and cover with pastry lid, pressing frmly to seal the edges. Pinch to seal or mark
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with a fork. Make a small hole for the steam to escape, brush with beaten egg and bake for 30 mins or until golden brown. • Recipes for rabbit featured regularly in the Women’s Institute’s magazine, Home and Country. In times of shortage, rabbit was a precious source of meat, skins and even wool. Early issues of the magazine carried advice on cooking, skinning and curing rabbit. There were detailed descriptions of the easiest way to dispatch your ‘snared or tame rabbit’ and a tip for curing the skin – ‘to make the skin glossy, rub in shampoo powder, brush it out with a velvet pad’ – sitting alongside simple recipes, such as this Rabbit pie.
• Lucy Worsley tells the story of the Women’s Institute in 100 Years of the WI, one of a collection of fascinating documentaries exploring key moments in women’s history coming soon to BBC Two. As Lucy discovers, far from being just a cosy club full of women making jam and singing Jerusalem, the WI is one of Britain’s most important movements – a powerful group run by women, for women and still thriving today with 212,000 members. In her flm, Lucy argues that the WI should be taken more seriously and appreciated as a bold and often radical institution.
Recipes adapted from The WI Cookbook: The First 100 Years by Mary Gwynn (£20, Ebury Press). Photographs © Ebury Publishing. You can buy the book for just £17. Call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkledirect.com/goodfood.
April 2015
TV recipes
Just as good as you remember
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Mark has made maximum use of the space by storing lots of his gadgets on the counter and creating a batterie de cuisine above the worktop
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Good reads
My kitchen Mark Hix The chef and restaurateur tells Vanessa Berridge how he turned a dark holiday lodge into an attractive seaside home with a light-flled kitchen Photographs GEOFF WILKINSON
Mark Hix, one of Britain’s most celebrated chefs, helped revive the now widespread interest in using British ingredients. After 17 years overseeing London restaurants, including Le Caprice and J Sheekey, he set up on his own and now has restaurants in London and Lyme Regis, Dorset. His latest venture, Hixter Bankside, a chicken and steak restaurant, opened in Southwark last year. Mark lives in London, but likes to spend weekends and holidays in Dorset. April 2015
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Good reads Why did you choose Dorset? I’d been looking for a place here for some time, as I grew up in Bridport. My mother still lives in West Bay and I have a restaurant in Lyme Regis. I just loved the position, looking out over the sea. The lodge was all dark brown wood, with fock wallpaper and thick carpets, so I whitewashed the whole place, installed wood foors and used tongue-and-groove panelling on the walls and ceilings to brighten it up and give it the feel of a beach hut.
How did you plan the kitchen? I wanted a simple space that I could use for weekends and holidays. I chose wood because it’s warm, looks right in here and is practical. I wasn’t planning to do cookery demonstrations here, but I realised that this wide worktop would work. I’ve got another leaf that I can attach to it, so eight people can watch me cook.
Who designed the kitchen?
Mark foraging for ingredients (above). His Kitchen Table cookery demos in Dorset run March-December and cost £175 per person, including a welcome drink and four-course lunch. To book, visit hix restaurants.co.uk/ demonstrations
MarkÕs Sticky toffee pudding EASY
without sauce SERVES 4–6 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr 20 mins
150g pitted dates 65g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 175g soft dark brown sugar 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten 225g self-raising four ice cream, soured cream or crème fraîche, to serve FOR THE TOFFEE SAUCE 600ml double cream 350g golden caster sugar 90g unsalted butter
I did. I am in kitchens all the time, so I knew exactly what I was looking for and how to pack in what I needed. If you get a designer in, they’ll specify all sorts of things that you don’t want or will never use. I did it as inexpensively as I could, working with the existing units, and buying repro lights and taps. The layout has the classic ergonomic triangle, so you can move around easily when you’re preparing, and demonstrating, food.
What were your essentials? My KitchenAid mixer and the V-Zug cooker, which combines convection and steam – it’s perfect for cooking the lobsters I catch from my boat at Lyme Regis. I’ve had my coffee machine for years and I love the look of it, although I don’t use it very much.
How do you make such a small kitchen work? I have had to use every inch of space. My cocktail cabinet is under the bench by the table, for instance, and I keep more stuff out on the surfaces than I do in London – but I rather like that informal look. I bring ingredients and crockery from London, then if I realise I haven’t used them, I’ll take them back. The batterie de cuisine, above the worktop, looks good, gets things out of cupboards and means that all your pans are to hand.
Recipe adapted from The Collection (£25, Quadrille). You can buy the book for just £22. Call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkle direct.com/goodfood. • Hixter Bankside is in Southwark, London (hixter bankside.co.uk).
Anything you would do differently? I’m actually planning to rebuild the lodge so it’s easier to have friends to stay. I will make the kitchen bigger, with a longer work surface for demonstrations, as they’ve proved so popular. I will also have more storage space and buy square food containers so that they tuck in better.
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1 Put the dates in a pan with 250ml water and simmer for 10–15 mins or until the dates are soft and the water has almost evaporated. Whizz in a blender until smooth. The purée should be a spoonable consistency; if too thick, thin with a little water. Leave to cool. 2 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a baking tin, measuring about 15cm x 12cm x 6cm, with butter and line with baking parchment. To make the sponge, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fuffy. Add the eggs slowly. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a little of the four to re-bind and continue adding the egg. Gently fold in the four with a large metal spoon until evenly mixed. Finally, fold in the date purée. 3 Pour the mixture into the baking tin, spread out and bake for about 45–50 mins or until the sponge is frm to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins or so. Keep the oven on. Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce. Pour half of the cream into a heavy-based pan and add the sugar and butter. Bring to the boil, stirring, and continue to boil until the sauce is golden brown, 8–10 mins or even longer. Allow to cool for about 10 mins, then whisk in the remaining cream. 4 Remove the sponge from the tin, trim the edges to neaten, then cut horizontally into 4 even layers. Re-line the tin with fresh baking parchment. Reassemble the sponge in the tin, spreading 2/3 of the warm sauce in between the layers. Reheat the pudding in the oven for 15–20 mins. 5 To serve, cut the pudding into 4–6 portions, place in warm bowls and top with the remaining toffee sauce. Serve with ice cream, soured cream or crème fraîche. PER SERVING (6) energy 1,258 kcals • fat 77g • saturates 47g • carbs 131g • sugars 105g • fibre 3g • protein 8g • salt 0.5g
April 2015
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It’s always the ingredients that make your finest dishes taste their best. Chef and food writer Gizzi Erskine reveals how BRITA filtered water ensures her recipes have perfect results
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GizziÕs brunch: Rice and chia porridge with cacao bananas
ingredients to shine through. A BRITA filter tap means I have filtered water whenever I need it.’ BRITA has inspired a range of recipes from Gizzi,
‘My ethos is all about enjoying food while keeping it healthy. Using fresh ingredients is at the heart of this’ – Gizzi Erskine, chef and writer so why not try her amazing sweet breakfast treat (right)? She says: ‘I love this recipe because it feels like pudding for breakfast, but healthy!’ For recipes and tips on how to eat better with BRITA, go to facebook.co.uk/brita.uk.
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How to order your Instant Pot Lux 60 Visit instantpot.co.uk and enter GOODFOOD20153 at the checkout to obtain the discount. Terms and conditions Delivery within 28 days to UK mainland only, some exclusions may apply. Offer subject to availability. If you are not completely satisfed with your order, please return goods in mint condition and sealed original packaging for a refund (less p&p) within 14 days of receiving your order. Data protection BBC Worldwide Limited and Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of BBC Good Food) would love to keep you informed by post, telephone or email of their special offers and promotions. Please state at time of ordering if you do not wish to receive these from BBC Worldwide or Immediate Media Company.
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To order, visit instantpot.co.uk and enter offer code GOODFOOD20153 at the checkout 114
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EAT WELL
Five gluten-free suppers n Gingerbread made healthier n Simple side dishes n Fuel your big run! Recipes and advice to keep your training on track Smoked salmon, quinoa & dill lunch pot An easy, nutritious and delicious lunch. The quinoa will provide slow-releasing energy to help you feel fuller for longer during the afternoon. LOW 1 OF 5 EASY LOW FAT CAL FOLATE VIT C OMEGA-3 A DAY GLUTEN FREE
2 tbsp half-fat soured cream 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 /2 pack dill, fnely chopped 250g pouch ready-to-eat quinoa (we used Merchant Gourmet) 1 /2 cucumber, halved and sliced 4 radishes, fnely sliced 100g/4oz smoked salmon, torn into strips
SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins NO COOK
1 First, make the dressing. Mix the soured cream and lemon juice together in a bowl, then add most of the dill, reserving a quarter for serving. 2 In another bowl, combine the quinoa with the cucumber and radishes, and stir through half the dressing. Season and top with the salmon and the rest of the dill. 3 Put the other half of the dressing in a small pot and drizzle over the quinoa just before serving.
Recipe CHELSIE COLLINS | Photograph PHILIP WEBB | Food styling LIZZIE HARRIS | Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN | Handpainted lunchbox, £27.99, indian-tiffn.com
PER SERVING energy 254 kcals • fat 7g • saturates 2g • carbs 26g • sugars 3g • fibre 5g • protein 20g • salt 2.5g
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New gluten-free suppers Five weeknight dinners from food writer Lisa Roukin, plus a delicious cake Photographs DAVID MUNNS
to ota p et we s d ize iral p s ith se w Bologne
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Fish pie
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Bolognese with spiralized sweet potato 2 OF 5 GLUTEN EASY LOW CAL FIBRE A DAY FREE
sauce only SERVES 4-6 PREP 40 mins COOK 45 mins-1 hr
Thinking about buying a spiralizer? Check our best buys at bbcgoodfood.com.
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle for frying 2 shallots or 1 onion, fnely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 500g/1lb 2oz lean minced beef 140g/5oz button mushrooms, diced 2 tbsp tomato purée 150ml/1/4pt white wine small pack basil, leaves only 400ml/14f oz passata 4 large sweet potatoes Parmesan, grated, to serve (optional)
1 Heat a large non-stick saucepan or fameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add the 2 tbsp oil together with the shallots or onion. Fry gently until soft, about 5 mins, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to coat the shallots, then add the beef and mix well. Return to the heat and continue to stir over a medium-high heat until browned. Break up any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the
Fish pie OF 5 EASY CALCIUM FOLATE FIBRE VIT C IRON 2 A DAY GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 1 hr COOK 40 mins
2kg/4lb 8oz celeriac (about 2 large) 31/2 tbsp coconut oil 1 large leek, sliced (keep an outer layer of leek to wrap the bouquet garni) pinch of white pepper, plus extra for seasoning 1 /2 tsp garlic granules small pack dill 1 /2 celery stalk 700ml/11/4pts almond milk 1 onion, quartered 500g/1lb 2oz cod fllets, with skin 500g/1lb 2oz haddock fllets, with skin 2 tsp horseradish cream 2 tbsp cornfour 1 /4 tsp ground nutmeg 3 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered
1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Peel the celeriac, cut into 5cm chunks, and place in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25-30 mins until tender. Drain and leave to dry in a colander. 2 Meanwhile, in a large non-stick frying pan, heat 1/2 tbsp coconut oil and sauté the sliced leeks until soft. Season with sea salt, white pepper and garlic granules, then transfer to a bowl with a little chopped dill. 3 To make the bouquet garni, place the rest of the dill in the middle of the celery stalk,
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mushrooms, continue to stir for 3 mins, then add the tomato purée. 2 Make a well in the centre and pour in the wine. Continue to stir for 3 mins until the wine has evaporated. Add most of the basil leaves, then pour over the passata and season. Partly cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for 45 mins-1 hr until the mince is tender and surrounded with a rich, thick sauce (stir every 10 mins). Taste to check seasoning, adding more if necessary. 3 About 10 mins before the sauce is ready, peel the sweet potatoes and, following the manufacturer’s instructions, use a spiralizer to make pasta-style ribbons. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large wok or frying pan and sauté the ribbons for 3-4 mins to lightly soften. The spiralized sweet potato should have a bite to it, so be sure not to overcook. Divide the spiralized veg between warm plates, top with the Bolognese and the remaining basil with a sprinkle of Parmesan, if you like. PER SERVING (4) energy 494 kcals • fat 20g • saturates 6g • carbs 38g • sugars 18g • fibre 6g • protein 32g • salt 0.6g
wrap in a small layer of leek, and tie with string. In the large non-stick frying pan, add the almond milk, bouquet garni and the onion. Put the pan on a low heat until simmering, then add the fsh fllets and cook for 5 mins. With a slotted spoon, lift the fsh onto a plate. Remove the pan from the heat and let the almond milk infuse for 10 mins, then discard the onion and bouquet garni and strain the milk into a large bowl. Set aside. 4 To make the topping, put the celeriac in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil, the horseradish cream, sea salt and white pepper to season. 5 For the creamy sauce, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil with 2 tbsp cornfour in a large saucepan. When it starts to thicken, remove from the heat. Gradually whisk the strained almond milk into the saucepan; it will be thick at frst, but keep whisking and a smooth sauce will come together. Return the pan to the heat and whisk until the sauce thickens. Season generously with sea salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Add the sautéed leeks to the sauce. 6 In a large ovenproof dish (mine was 23cm square, 7cm high), fake the fsh – discarding the skin – into chunky pieces. Place in the base of the dish. Pour over the creamy sauce and arrange the quartered eggs around. Cover with the celeriac purée, smooth out and run the tip of a fork up and down the pie to create a nice topping. Bake the pie for 40 mins, or until the top is slightly golden. Leave to stand for 10 mins before serving.
Oven-baked cornfake chicken breast with salsa OF 5 GLUTEN EASY FOLATE FIBRE VIT C IRON 2 A DAY FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 40 mins COOK 40 mins
cooking oil spray 150-200g/5-7oz gluten-free cornfakes 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 2 pinches of white pepper 1 egg, beaten 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp honey Dijon mustard 1 tsp garlic granules 4 chicken breasts 4 handfuls rocket, to serve 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve FOR THE SALSA 3 avocados 1 mango 1 /4 red onion, fnely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spray the cooking oil onto a baking tray. Put the cornfakes in a freezer bag and crush with your hands until the fakes have broken down into coarse crumbs. On a plate, combine the crushed fakes with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, sea salt and white pepper. Toss together. 2 Put the beaten egg on a plate. Season with the Worcestershire sauce, honey Dijon mustard, garlic granules, plus a little sea salt and white pepper, and mix to combine. Coat each chicken breast in the egg mixture, then carefully place the chicken breast on the plate with the seasoned cornfakes. Coat both sides and place on the baking tray with the rounded part of the breast facing up. Bake in the oven for 40 mins. 3 To make the salsa, halve, stone and peel the avocados. Cut the fesh into 1cm cubes and put in a large bowl. Peel the mango and cut both sides close to the pip, then cut into 1cm cubes. Add to the same bowl as the avocado and mix together with the red onion. Add the olive oil, sweet chilli sauce, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Gently stir the ingredients; you can mash the avocado slightly, but keep it quite chunky. 4 Remove the chicken breast from the oven and serve with the avocado salsa, some rocket and a wedge or two of lime. PER SERVING energy 599 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 5g • carbs 48g • sugars 17g • fibre 7g • protein 38g • salt 1.7g
PER SERVING energy 587 kcals • fat 20g • saturates 10g • carbs 26g • sugars 12g • fibre 28g • protein 61g • salt 2.0g
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Eat well
s are an easy substitut e for f lake n r co bre e adc re f rum en t u bs l G
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Quinoa with sautéed leeks, peas & avocado EASY
Gluten-free chocolate banana cake When you take the cake out of the oven, it will look like it’s not done in the centre. Don’t worry, that’s correct – it will firm up as it cools.
LOW FIBRE IRON 2 OF 5 GLUTEN CAL A DAY FREE
SERVES 6 PREP 40 mins plus cooling COOK 15-20 mins
EASY GLUTEN FREE
300g/11oz quinoa 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil 3 leeks, thinly sliced pinch of white pepper 1 tsp garlic granules 250g/9oz frozen peas or petit pois 75g/21/2oz pumpkin seeds 2 avocados, cubed FOR THE DRESSING 3 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp apple juice 2 tsp honey mustard 2 tsp agave syrup 2 tbsp sushi seasoning vinegar sesame seeds, toasted 1 /2 small pack coriander, chopped 1 /2 small pack mint leaves, chopped
Honey & soy baked salmon EASY OMEGA-3 GLUTEN FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 15-20 mins
5 tbsp orange juice 5 tbsp clear honey 41/2 tbsp light soy sauce 5 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp grated ginger 4 salmon fllets, skin on 250g/9oz buckwheat soba noodles and sesame seeds, to serve
1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. To make the marinade, pour the orange juice, honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger into a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring only once, for about 1 min, then remove and leave to cool completely. Pass through a sieve and discard the garlic and ginger. 2 Season the fesh side of the salmon and line a baking tray with baking parchment or foil. Place the salmon fllets on the tray and pour half your marinade over the salmon fllets, keeping the remaining marinade in the saucepan. 3 Bake in the oven for 12-15 mins. Bring the reserved marinade to a light boil in the saucepan and cook for 5 mins, or until slightly thickened and syrupy. 4 Cook the buckwheat soba noodles following pack instructions. When the salmon is cooked, remove the tray from the oven and pour over the remaining marinade. Serve with the noodles sprinkled with sesame seeds. PER SERVING energy 370 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 3g • carbs 25g • sugars 24g • fibre 1g • protein 28g • salt 30g
1 Rinse the quinoa through a sieve with cold water for 2 mins, then drain well. Put the quinoa in a medium saucepan with 400ml cold water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 mins. Remove from the heat, carefully fuff with a fork, cover and stand for 5 mins, then spread onto a large fat platter to cool. 2 In a large non-stick frying pan, add the oil and fry the leeks until translucent and soft. Then season with sea salt, white pepper and the garlic granules. Add the frozen peas to the sautéed leeks and continue to cook for 5 mins, then remove from the heat to cool. Add the sautéed leeks to the cooked quinoa, then add the pumpkin seeds. 3 In a measuring jug, add all the ingredients for the dressing and season, then mix well to combine. 4 When the salad is completely cooled, mix the avocado through the salad, then pour over the dressing. PER SERVING energy 489 kcals • fat 29g • saturates 7g • carbs 38g • sugars 7g • fibre 8g • protein 16g • salt 0.2g
SERVES 12 PREP 1 hr plus cooling and resting COOK 30 mins
vegetable oil, for greasing 1 tsp espresso coffee powder 1 tsp boiling water 150g/51/2oz dark chocolate 4 large eggs, beaten 175g/6oz coconut sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 100g/4oz maize four (I used Doves Farm) 2 ripe bananas, mashed FOR THE CHOCOLATE COVERING 200g bar dark chocolate 50g/2oz coconut oil 250ml/9oz soya single cream 85g/3oz banana chips, crushed 50g/2oz dark chocolate shavings
Recipes adapted from My Relationship with Food by Lisa Roukin (£25, myrelationship withfood.com). Photographs © David Munns. You can buy this book for just £22.50. Call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkledirect.com/ goodfood.
1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line the base with baking parchment. 2 Dissolve the espresso with the boiling water, then set aside. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, but don’t let the water touch the base of the bowl, then set aside to cool. Beat the eggs and coconut sugar with an electric mixer until light and fuffy; it needs to be really mousse-like in texture. Fold in the vanilla bean paste and coffee mixture. Gradually fold the maize four into the egg mixture. 3 When the chocolate has cooled, add the mashed bananas. Fold the chocolate and mashed bananas into the egg mixture until combined. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 mins. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely, then either cover tightly with foil or continue to decorate. 4 To make the icing, melt the chocolate as above, then slightly cool and stir in the coconut oil and then the cream. Place one half of the cake on your serving platter. Using a palette knife, spread two-thirds of the chocolate icing on the cake, then sandwich together. Cover the sides and the top of the cake with the remaining icing, carefully smoothing over with a warmed palette knife. Fill any gaps. The sides and top should be straight and even. 5 Scatter the crushed banana chips around the sides of the cake and decorate the top with chocolate shavings. Allow the cake to sit at room temperature, covered by a cake dome or a large glass bowl, for at least 2 hrs before serving. The favours will get better with time. PER SERVING energy 404 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 12g • carbs 39g • sugars 26g • fibre 4g • protein 6g • salt 0.4g
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April 2015
Eat well
This has a brownie-like texture, perfect for a pudding or with a cup of tea
April 2015
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Fuel your run! Whether you’re doing a charity run or a marathon, the right food will boost your performance, says sports nutritionist James Collins
Your training and meal plan
Photograph GETTY IMAGES
My job involves providing nutrition support and advice to some of the best athletes in the world, but the same basic principles apply to anyone, whatever type of run you’re going to do. To help you plan what to eat, and how to ft it into your regime, I advise people to divide their training into three types of sessions: normal days, heavy training days and rest days. James Collins worked with Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games, as well as footballers from Arsenal and the England World Cup team. He is a member of the Food and Health Council at the Royal Society of Medicine.
Normal training days
Heavy training days
Rest days
For training sessions of more than one hour, or intermittent/high-intensity training days:
If you’re running at high intensity or building your endurance-based sessions, you need sustained energy from carbs to keep you going.
On days when you run at low-intensity for under an hour, you can reduce your carbs, giving you the chance to fill up on protein.
Make a low-GI breakfast, like buckwheat pancakes or Bircher muesli with berries & yogurt. Base your daytime snacks around carbs: muffns, granola bars or fapjacks will boost your energy. Lunch and dinner should contain carbs and protein: a pasta bake with lean protein, Quick chilli bean wraps or rice & prawn one-pots. Evening snacks should be protein-based: a Creamy mango & coconut milk smoothie or hot chocolate will aid recovery.
Include more protein at breakfast – try a veg-packed omelette with feta or spicy scrambled eggs. Lean protein helps to support muscle repairs, so lunch could be griddled chicken with a quinoa or lentil salad. Vegetables provide good carbs: Miso-marinated salmon with steamed green vegetables makes a flling dinner.
Eat carbohydrates at breakfast to fuel your training. Try porridge topped with yogurt and pear, or scrambled egg and wholemeal toast. More carbs at lunch will replenish your muscles. Try Smoked salmon & avocado sushi or spicy Cajun chicken quinoa (see over the page for a recipe) for lunch. For dinner, keep carbs low-GI, and eat a moderate amount of protein: Teriyaki tuna skewers with a butternut squash salad, or Smoked mackerel, orange & couscous salad would be satisfying.
■ You’ll find all these recipes at bbcgoodfood.com
Six steps to getting over the line
1 2 3 4 5 6 Get a boost from caffeine
Include iron-rich foods
More milk for your muscles
Pack in fruit and vegetables
Not only can caffeine boost performance, it may also make exercise feel more enjoyable and easier. If you fnd running a struggle, try drinking a strong cup of your favourite tea or coffee 60-90 minutes before training.
Iron is vital for carrying oxygen to the working muscles, and keeps your energy levels up when you’re undertaking endurance exercise. Iron-rich foods include red meat, poultry, fsh, peas, lentils and dark green leafy veg. Try to include them in at least three main meals a week.
Recent research from Northumbria University showed that semi-skimmed milk is an effective and inexpensive alternative to many commercial recovery drinks. A couple of large glasses (500ml) of milk after exercise is all you need for your muscles to start their recovery. However, for longer, harder training sessions you may need to pack an extra carbohydratebased snack too.
Increasing the amount of veg you eat with each meal will help to reduce muscle soreness. Pick antioxidant-rich fruit like prunes, raisins and blueberries, and vegetables such as garlic, kale, broccoli, peppers, avocado and spinach. Aim to eat a rainbow of colourful veg for the maximum benefts.
Drink up Make sure you start your race fully hydrated. Drinking half a litre of water two hours before the race should be plenty. Immediately before the start, drink a small amount (about 150ml). If you’re doing a long run, drinking should match sweat loss as closely as possible; 150-250ml of fuid every two miles is a good guide.
Don’t try anything new… The night and morning before a race is not the time to eat something new or anything too spicy, high fbre or fatty. Stick to what you know!
Turn over for two recipes to help your training from James and his team of chefs u
April 2015
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Eat well Full o ff
lav ou ra nd ou r-y -fo od go dients ingre Gingerbread bites EASY GLUTEN FREE
MAKES 10 pieces PREP 20 mins COOK 10-15 mins
330g pitted dates 2 tsp vanilla extract 80g ground almonds, plus extra if needed 1 /2 tsp cinnamon 1 /2 tsp ground ginger 80g faked almonds 80g pecans, roughly chopped
Cajun blackened chicken with supergreen quinoa OF 5 GLUTEN EASY CALCIUM FOLATE VIT C IRON 2 A DAY FREE
SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins
2 chicken breasts (about 120g each) generous pinch of Cajun spice 2 tbsp olive oil 160g quinoa 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced 20g spring onions, chopped 100g baby spinach leaves small pack mint, roughly chopped small pack coriander, roughly chopped 20g pomegranate seeds 40g edamame beans 30g Peppadew peppers 100g beetroot (not in vinegar), sliced 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 50g feta, cut into cubes 80g mango, cut into chunks lemon zest, sesame seeds and lime wedges, to serve (optional)
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1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Rub the chicken with the Cajun seasoning until coated. Heat a heavy-based griddle pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and colour on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a baking tray and bake for 20-25 mins or until cooked. 2 Meanwhile, boil a saucepan of water. Rinse the quinoa under cold water, then put in the pan. Cook for 15 mins, then drain in a sieve. 3 In a food processor, add nearly all the chilli, spring onions (reserve some of each to serve), the spinach, mint and coriander, and blend to a smooth purée. 4 Add the purée to the quinoa and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, except the chicken, and combine well. Season to taste. Divide the quinoa mix over 2 plates, top each with chicken and serve sprinkled with the lemon zest, sesame seeds, reserved chilli and spring onions and lime wedges, if you like. PER SERVING energy 531 kcals • fat 12g • saturates 4g • carbs 54g • sugars 14g • fibre 4g • protein 49g • salt 1.4g
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1 Blend the dates and vanilla extract using a food processor or stick blender with 2 tbsp water. Add the ground almonds and spices and pulse until combined. You may need to add extra ground almonds, 1 tsp at a time, to frm them up. 2 Fold through the faked almonds and pecans. Empty onto a greased baking tray and press until fat and even. Chill in the fridge until set. 3 Turn out onto a chopping board and cut into bite-sized pieces. PER BITE energy 204 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 1g • carbs 22g • sugars 22g • fibre 2g • protein 4g • salt none
■ To book a training consultation
with James, visit chhp.com, or for more training info, visit bbcgoodfood.com.
Catch coverage of the London Marathon on Sunday 26 April from 7am on BBC TV, radio and at bbc.co.uk.
April 2015
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Make it healthier
GINGERBREAD Angela Nilsen rises to the challenge and transforms this teatime favourite
Many classic recipes are crammed with generous amounts of butter, sugar, golden syrup and treacle to achieve that rich, sticky texture. I wanted to cut back on sugar and fat, especially saturated fat, yet still retain the texture and taste we love so much. I’ve used rapeseed oil successfully in cakes before, so I decided to try it here as a butter replacement, to bring down the saturated fat. As I also wanted to reduce the sugar, I included some soaked, puréed dates, along with buttermilk. Gingerbread’s dark, sticky texture comes mainly from black treacle and syrup. I still used some to create the distinctive taste and texture, but I required much less as the dates helped with the stickiness – while their natural sweetness meant I needed less sugar (they improved the favour as well). The buttermilk kept everything moist with almost no extra fat being added. Kerry Torrens, Good Food’s nutritional therapist, suggested I try maple syrup instead of golden syrup, as it contains slightly less sugar – it worked well. To intensify the spiciness – and make up for using less sugary ingredients – I mixed in some fnely grated fresh ginger, as well as ground. To get the very best texture and taste, I left the cake overnight before cutting into it – everything was heightened, from the fragrant gingeriness to the glossy top and sticky interior. Finally, making the gingerbread in a traybake tin meant that I could reduce the portion size without it being at all obvious! But would my tasters be happy with my lighter version of gingerbread? Check out the verdict, far right.
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Lighter Gingerbread
PER SERVING
CLASSIC GINGERBREAD
LIGHTER VERSION
kcals
193
116
fat
7.0g
4.1g
saturates
4.1g
0.4g
sugars
19.3g
8.6g
fbre
0.6g
0.7g
EASY
CUTS INTO 21 pieces PREP 35 mins COOK 40 mins
Angela’s top tips Two ways to keep your gingerbread moist and sticky: n Don’t overbake or it will start to dry out, so check it after 40 minutes. n Once the gingerbread is cold, wrap it well in parchment, then foil, and keep it for 1-2 days before slicing. The texture and taste will get better and better.
140g/5oz dried pitted whole dates, preferably Medjool, chopped into small pieces 75ml/21/2f oz rapeseed oil, plus a few drops for greasing 75g/2 1/2oz black treacle 50g/2oz maple syrup 1 tsp fnely grated fresh ginger 1 large egg 175ml/6f oz buttermilk 250g/9oz plain four 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 /2 tsp ground cinnamon 50g/2oz dark muscovado sugar
1 Put the dates in a small bowl and pour over 125ml of boiling water. Leave to cool for 30 mins. Lightly oil a 28 x 19 x 3cm traybake tin, then line the base with baking parchment. 2 Meanwhile, put the oil, black treacle, maple syrup and freshly grated ginger in a bowl and beat together with a fork to mix well. Set aside. Beat the egg in a small bowl and stir in the buttermilk. In a large bowl, mix the four with the bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and sugar – rub the mixture between your fngers to break down any lumpy bits of sugar. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. 3 Blend the dates and their liquid to a thick purée in a small food processor. Pour the egg, the dates and the treacle mixture into the bowl with the four. Stir together briefy with a wooden spoon just until well mixed – the mixture will be soft like a thick batter. Pour it into the lined tin, gently level the mixture and bake for 40-45 mins. To test if it’s done, insert a skewer in the centre – if the skewer comes out clean with no uncooked mixture on it, and the cake feels frm but springy to the touch, it should be done. 4 Leave in the tin for a few mins before removing to a wire rack, peeling off the parchment and leaving to cool completely. If you can wait, wrap it well in parchment, then foil. Leave for a day before cutting, as it will become stickier – it will keep moist for 3-4 days. PER PIECE energy 116 kcals • fat 4.1g • saturates 0.4g • carbs 17.5g • sugars 8.6g • fibre 0.7g • protein 2.0g • salt 0.2g
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How I made it healthier n I reduced fat and saturated fat by replacing
butter with rapeseed oil and buttermilk. n The dates provided natural sweetness and some of the stickiness, so sugar and syrups could be reduced. n I was generous with the spices – including cinnamon and grated fresh ginger as well as dried – to help disguise the fact that I was using less sugar.
THE VERDICT The tasters loved the portion size – chunky pieces of gingerbread that were neither too big nor too small. ‘Sticky, gingery and moist,’ remarked one. This was a good result, as each piece is lower in calories by 39%, total fats are down 41%, saturates down a staggering 90%, and sugars reduced by almost 55%.
April 2015
Photograph, food styling and styling ANGELA NILSEN
Dark and sticky, a bit of gingerbread goes brilliantly with a cup of tea. But that indulgence comes at a cost, as it’s high in fat, sugar and calories.
Eat well
Half the sugar and dramatically lower in fat
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Terms and conditions *Free p&p for UK mainland addresses (offer excludes the Scottish Highlands, please call for a postage quote for these areas). If you are not completely satisfed with your product, please call our customer services on 01483 204455 and we will advise you of the best way to return the goods. Orders returned within 14 days in perfect condition will receive a no-quibble, money-back guarantee (less p&p). **Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT landline plus network charges; cost from other networks may vary. Data protection BBC Worldwide Limited and Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of BBC Good Food) would love to keep you informed by post, telephone or email of their special offers and promotions. Please state at time of ordering if you do not wish to receive these from BBC Worldwide or Immediate Media Company.
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April 2015
Eat well
3 HEALTHY SIDES Everything tastes better with mash! Try these lighter new ways Green mash EASY
GOOD VIT C 4 YOU
SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 15-20 mins
600g/1lb 5oz Desirée or King Edward potatoes, cut into chunks 100g bag spinach 75ml/21/2f oz semi-skimmed milk small pack curly parsley 85g/3oz pesto 2 tsp pine nuts
1 Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 mins until tender. 2 While the potatoes cook, put the spinach in a colander and pour over boiling water to wilt. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible and set aside. Put the milk and parsley (the whole bunch) in a pan and simmer gently until the parsley has wilted. Allow to cool slightly, then add to a liquidiser with the spinach (or use a hand blender) and blend so you’re left with a bright green liquid. 3 Drain the potatoes, then add the parsley and spinach milk. Mash the potatoes until smooth, then stir in two-thirds of the pesto. Serve with the remaining pesto dotted over and topped with a sprinkling of pine nuts. PER SERVING energy 257 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 2g • carbs 27g • sugars 3g • fibre 5g • protein 6g • salt 0.8g
Serve alongside Chorizo & cabbage stew, p64
Smashed Jersey Royals with basil & lemon EASY
LOW GOOD GLUTEN FAT 4 YOU FREE
Recipes CHELSIE COLLINS | Photograph MIKE ENGLISH | Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE | Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN
SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 25-30 mins
Butter bean mash EASY
1 OF 5 GOOD GLUTEN A DAY 4 YOU FREE
SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 5-8 mins
Green mash
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 rosemary sprigs 2 x 400g cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 Put the olive oil in a saucepan with the garlic and rosemary sprigs, and place over a medium heat. Add the butter beans and coat in the oil, warming through for 5-8 mins. 2 Remove the rosemary sprigs and set aside. Mash the butter beans until smooth. Serve topped with rosemary leaves picked from the sprigs, a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper. PER SERVING energy 155 kcals • fat 6g • saturates 1g • carbs 15g • sugars 1g • fibre 6g • protein 7g • salt none
Try with Sweet balsamic pork, p63
650g/1lb 7oz Jersey Royals, washed and scrubbed 2 lemons, 1 zested, 1 sliced small handful basil, leaves only 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to serve
il & bas Smashe with d Jersey Royals
on lem
1 Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 mins until tender. 2 Drain the potatoes and leave to steam-dry in a colander for 2 mins. Return to the pan and gently crush the potatoes, leaving them chunky. 3 Add the lemon zest and half the basil, then season and stir. Serve topped with the remaining basil and lemon slices, and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. PER SERVING energy 138 kcals • fat 1g • saturates none • carbs 29g • sugars 2g • fibre 2g • protein 3g • salt none
Goes well with Wild garlic chicken Kiev, p47 Butter bean mash
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Cook school
While testing our recipes, we often discover new shortcuts, ingredients and gadgets. Here’s this month’s fnds
THE RAW TRUTH
There are dozens of knife sharpeners out there, from butcher’s steels to whirling electric miracles. Some cost more than the knives themselves, but they only work if you actually use them, rather than leave
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Garlicky fingers? Rub them against the flat of a stainless-steel knife under cold running water. The pong disappears!
them in the drawer. Chefs sharpen their knives once or twice a day; they know that a sharp blade makes for faster, easier and safer food prep. Using a steel takes a bit of practice – you’ll fnd a helpful video by Senior food editor Barney Desmazery at bbcgoodfood.com. For other types, follow manufacturer instructions for how much pressure to apply, how many strokes, and
bbcgoodfood.com
whether the knife should be wet or dry. After years of sharpening, blades become whittled away and lose their natural curve and balance. Small knives can be semi-retired for craft work, but disposing of a large cook’s knife can be a problem: ask for advice at your local recycling facility. Unwanted knives can also be handed in to the police.
Yeast photograph ANGELA NILSEN
HOW TO STAY SHARP
l
Angela Nilsen reckons she must have baked scores of bread and yeast-based recipes during the 20 years she’s been working for BBC Good Food, so we knew she was just the person to compile our defnitive guide to yeast (p137). Angela spent a fortnight in her kitchen experimenting with all the different types on offer, and reacquainted herself with fresh yeast, which she got from her local baker. ‘I’d got out of the habit of using fresh because packet yeast is so
popular and convenient,’ she says. ‘But I can only describe the experience as joyous!’ If you haven’t baked with fresh yeast, Angela urges you to try it next time you’re making bread. ‘Just the fresh smell of it lured me in, and when I discovered it could be used almost as instantly as dried, how silky soft and responsive the dough felt, and how it gave a good rise, like a puffed-up balloon, I was hooked.’ Where to fnd it? In-store bakeries at large supermarkets will often sell you a lump for a matter of pence (or even give it to you for free), or you may fnd cubes in the chiller of your local health food shop or deli.
FRESH IS BEST
Inspired by last month’s Paleo diet feature, Cookery assistant Chelsie Collins has been on a raw fx this month, and made some surprising discoveries. l Did you know that you can eat quinoa raw – it is in fact a seed. After rinsing, sprinkle into salads and veggie side dishes to add crunch. l Cut swede and celeriac into superfne matchsticks (this takes a bit of patience!) – they add earthy favour and a pleasing texture to salads. l Invest in a Spiralizer (fnd our best buys at bbcgoodfood.com), which transforms veg such as courgettes and carrots into curly ‘spaghetti’. Eat raw, or cook as a super-healthy alternative to pasta.
April 2015
Cook school DELICIOUSLY GLUTEN-FREE
HERB
TO STORE
TO USE
BASIL, CORIANDER, MINT AND TARRAGON These herbs quickly go slimy, so use as soon as possible. This technique also works for foraged leaves (see page 44).
If they are wet on arrival, wash, dry in a salad spinner and store layered on kitchen paper in a plastic bag or box. Otherwise, put in a roomy, open plastic bag or box in the fridge, trying not to crush.
Take out as much as you need at a time, wash and dry if necessary, pick over, tear or chop, and use at once.
BAY LEAVES
Wash then dry fresh bay leaves in a spinner, and leave to dry on kitchen paper. When completely dry, store loosely in an open plastic bag in the fridge. Any you don’t use fresh will dry naturally, at which point transfer the bag to a cupboard and use as dried bay leaves.
CHIVES
Wash, dry in a spinner and store loosely packed in an open plastic bag in the fridge.
Take out as needed and chop or snip. Chopped chives keep 1-2 days in fridge, covered with cling film.
DILL
Wash, dry in a spinner, store loosely packed in open plastic bag in fridge.
Take out stems as needed, pick off the leaves, chop and use at once.
OREGANO
I don’t fnd this has much favour, so I don’t bother buying it. If you can fnd it (or better still grow it), fresh marjoram is packed with fragrance – treat the same as thyme.
PARSLEY (flat-leaf and curly)
Wash, dry very thoroughly in a spinner and store in an open plastic bag in the fridge.
Take out stems as needed, pick off leaves and chop. Or wash, dry, chop fnely and refrigerate uncovered – over 2-3 days it will dry out but still taste and look good.
ROSEMARY AND SAGE
Wash, dry in a spinner, store loosely packed in open plastic bag in fridge.
Take out stems as needed, pick off leaves, chop and use at once.
THYME
Wash, dry in a spinner, store loosely packed in an open plastic bag in the fridge.
Take out stems as needed, pick off leaves, chop and use within a day or two. Over 3-4 days the unused stems will dry out, but will still chop perfectly and taste good. When fully dried, pick off leaves and use as dried thyme.
How to cope with a surplus Apart from bay leaves and thyme, which dry naturally, I’ve never been happy with home-dried herbs, even using complicated microwave methods. My tip is to chop herbs fnely, beat them into butter with lemon zest, salt (or salt fakes) and crushed black pepper to taste, then chill in a log shape, tightly wrapped in cling flm. Slice into discs and freeze for use as an instant lift for grilled meats and fsh, or vegetable dishes.
IN PRAISE OF PISTACHIOS Pistachios make great snacks, partly for the fun of popping them out of their shells, but they are also extremely pretty, coming in shades of pink and green. Food editor Cassie Best likes to sprinkle them on her breakfast cereal, which gave her the idea of adding them to her Middle Eastern eggs with merguez & pistachios on page 80. For this, you’ll need shelled, unsalted, slivered pistachios. The best ones are Iranian, to be found in Middle Eastern shops, or online at souschef.co.uk or ottolenghi.co.uk. On page 134, former Bake Off champion Edd Kimber uses pistachio paste, and shares his recipe for making your own.
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
If you haven’t baked cornbread before, you’re in for a treat. And because it is best eaten really fresh, you can’t beat homemade. Its warm, homey favour and pleasant texture make it a lovely breakfast or coffee-time treat – and if you choose the right recipe, it’s gluten-free too. Helen Barker-Benfeld, Commissioning food editor, enjoyed devising her Gluten-free chilli cornbread (p14), and tried it out on her family. Her daughter Eva, aged eight, loved the version made with fne cornmeal, but wasn’t so keen on the texture of the loaf made with medium cornmeal (she found it a little gritty) – so if you’re cooking for youngsters, you have been warned! Helen also made an interesting discovery when testing Oven-baked cornfake chicken breast with salsa (p120). ‘I checked a few different brands and discovered that not all cornfakes are gluten-free. The recipe works perfectly whichever type you use, but if you’re catering for a gluten-free diet, check the label.’
BRUSH UP ON FILO Food editor Cassie Best is a big fan of flo pastry. ‘I love the way you can shape it, its crackle and the way it complements practically any food.’ Most recipes (for instance, Cassie’s Veggie spiral pie on page 78) involve working with one sheet at a time and brushing it with melted butter, while the rest of the sheets are kept covered in cling flm, so that they don’t dry out and become brittle, faky and hard to work. ‘It’s quite fddly brushing the sheets with a pastry brush, especially when you’re doing lots of them, so I had the idea of buying an inexpensive decorator’s paintbrush just for this purpose. It really speeds things up, and then when I’ve fnished I can simply pop it in the dishwasher.’
Although you can buy fresh herbs all year round, they really come into their own in spring and early summer. But how often have you bought a fragrant bunch, then found yourself throwing half of it away because you didn’t use it? This is a particular problem with the tempting large bunches of herbs you fnd in Asian and Middle Eastern shops – coriander, for instance. Food writer Orlando Murrin loves using herbs in his kitchen, and here’s how he makes sure he gets the best out of them.
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NEVER WASTE HERBS AGAIN
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Make a gateau St Honoré
Edd Kimber, winner of the BBC’s first Great British Bake Off, shows us how to create a classic French dessert with a new twist Photographs DAVID MUNNS
Pistachio & lemon gateau St Honoré MORE OF A CHALLENGE
SERVES 6-8 PREP 50 mins plus chilling COOK 1 hr 20 mins
FOR THE PISTACHIO CREME PATISSIERE 250ml whole milk 1 large egg, plus 2 large egg yolks 100g caster sugar 25g cornfour 50g pistachio paste (see recipe below) 1 tsp vanilla bean paste FOR THE LEMON CREAM 300ml pot double cream zest 2 lemons 2 tbsp caster sugar FOR THE PASTRY BASE 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY 40g plain four 40g strong white bread four 60g unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing 1 tsp caster sugar 2-3 large eggs, beaten FOR THE CARAMEL 250g caster sugar 1 tbsp shelled pistachio nuts, fnely chopped, to serve
'I've swapped the traditional vanilla in my St Honoré for zesty lemon and pistachio, but play around with favours you like'
PER SERVING (8) energy 746 kcals • fat 44g • saturates 23g • carbs 78g • sugars 53g • fibre 1g • protein 10g • salt 0.6g
Pistachio paste EASY GLUTEN FREE
MAKES 230g PREP 10 mins NO COOK
Place 200g peeled and skinned pistachios and 2 tbsp caster sugar in the bowl of a food processor and whizz until the mixture forms a smooth paste (this can take up to 10 mins). You will need to scrape down the sides every few mins. Use leftovers in ice cream or buttercream. PER SERVING energy 264 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 2g • carbs 15g • sugars 11g • fibre 4g • protein 8g • salt 0.1g
Decorating tip For a professional fnish, you can buy a St Honoré piping nozzle (right, amazon.co.uk). If you can’t fnd one, simply use a round piping nozzle, about 1cm wide, instead.
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St Honoré is the patron saint of bakers, although some think that the name of this recipe may have originated from a patisserie in Rue Saint Honoré in Paris.
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You can buy Edd Kimber’s latest book, Patisserie Made Simple (£19.99, Kyle Books), for just £17.99. Call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at sparkledirect.com/goodfood.
April 2015
Food styling EDD KIMBER | Styling VICTORIA ALLEN
This recipe will make more paste than you need, but it's hard to blend less than this in a processor. Leftovers will keep for 1 month in the fridge.
Cook school
'This showstopper has a puff pastry base and is topped with choux buns flled with pistachio crème pâtissière, which have been dipped in crunchy golden caramel. The gateau is then flled with whipped cream'
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To make the crème pâtissière, pour the milk into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, put the egg, yolks, sugar, cornflour, pistachio paste and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Cut out a 23cm circle from the puff pastry, using a plate as a guide. Put on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and prick all over with a fork. Cover with cling film and chill until needed. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Put the choux pastry in a piping bag fitted with a plain round piping nozzle (roughly 1.5cm) and pipe circles on top of the puff pastry, one or two 1cm from the outside edge and one in the middle. Brush with beaten egg.
Put the sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook, without stirring, until it forms a caramel. Allow to cool for 1-2 mins to thicken, then dip in the top of each choux bun and leave to set, caramel-side down, on baking parchment.
April 2015
Add the milk to the egg mixture, whisk until smooth and pour back into the pan. Whisk over a low-medium heat. Simmer gently for 2 mins, whisking until thick. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, cover with cling film and put in the fridge.
For the choux pastry, sift the flours into a bowl. Put the butter, sugar, 120ml water and 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan over a low heat until the butter melts, then bring to a boil. Tip in the flours and mix over the heat until it forms a ball of dough.
Pipe the remaining choux in 2.5cm rounds onto a baking tray lined with parchment. Brush with a little beaten egg and bake the 2 trays for 35-45 mins until golden brown. Poke a hole in the base of each bun with a skewer.
To stick the buns to the gateau, carefully reheat the remaining caramel until liquid, allowing to cool and thicken as before, then dip the base of each bun into the caramel and stick to the outer ring of choux pastry.
bbcgoodfood.com
To make the lemon cream, put the cream and lemon zest in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate until very cold.
Tip into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until the dough stops steaming. Add the eggs, a little a time, until the dough is shiny and forms a V-shaped ribbon when lifted from the bowl (you may not need all the egg – use it as glaze).
Once all the pastry is cold, put the crème pâtissière in a piping bag fitted with a small round piping nozzle and fill the choux buns. Pipe the remainder over the base of the puff pastry, inside the outer ring of choux pastry.
Whisk the lemon cream until it holds soft peaks, then sprinkle in the caster sugar and whisk until stiff. Put in a piping bag fitted with a St Honoré nozzle and pipe in rows in the middle of the gateau. Sprinkle over some pistachios.
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To order, call 01467 629666 quoting bbcgf1510, or visit donaldrussell.com/bbcgf1510 136
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April 2015
Cook school
Know your Confused by the different types of yeast on offer? Angela Nilsen demystifes this fascinating ingredient As breadmaking surges in popularity, different types of yeast are appearing on supermarket shelves. Look past the fancy names, however, and there are essentially three main types, each with their advantages. So whether you swear by your breadmaker or you enjoy pummelling your dough by hand, here’s the low-down: FRESH
DRIED ACTIVE BAKING
Baker’s or compressed yeast
Original dry yeast
Fast-action, quick, easy-blend or instant yeast
What is it best for?
Handmade breads and some bread machines (check instructions)
Handmade breads. Not suitable for bread machines
Handmade breads and bread machines
What’s the difference?
This is ‘pure’ yeast. Creamy beige with a soft, crumbly texture
Tiny round yeast ‘beads’ that need to be reactivated in sugar and water before incorporating into dough
Very fne yeast granules – simply mix into four (no need to reactivate)
No
‘Improvers’ – typically an emulsifer, four treatment agent and ascorbic acid
How is it sold?
In compressed blocks, by weight. Should smell fresh and yeasty, and crumble moistly, without dry, hard or dark bits
Where?
Some local bakeries, many supermarket in-store bakeries, delis or online
Why use it?
The favourite of professional bakers. More perishable, but handles better and rises faster. Bread smells and tastes fresh and sweet
Easy to buy, keeps well and good value if you bake a lot. Must be activated before use. Suits the traditionalist
Easy to buy and use (usually pre-measured in sachets). Keeps well. Formulated to give a reasonable result with only one rise. Useful for the busy cook
How much do I use?
15g (1 tbsp) to 500-600g four
Usually 21/2 tsp to 500-600g four
Usually 7g sachet to 500-600g four, but check packet
How do I convert a recipe from one type of yeast to another?
In 125g cans or in vacuum-packed pouches
In boxes of 7g sachets or 100-125g cans
Most supermarkets or online
Follow the proportions above as a guide, bearing in mind that, whichever type of yeast you use, more yeast (and/or a warmer kitchen) will generally shorten your proving time, while less yeast (and/or a cooler kitchen) will lengthen it. Be aware that too much yeast can spoil the bread’s texture and taste
How do I use it?
Cream 15g yeast with 1 tsp caster sugar, then whisk into measured water for recipe
Dissolve a little sugar in a few tbsp water, whisk in yeast, leave for 15 mins to froth, continue with recipe
Sprinkle granules directly into four, continue with recipe. You can skip the second rise but favour and texture will not be quite so good
How long will it keep?
Up to 2 weeks in the fridge – bring to room temp about 30 mins before using. Or portion (allow extra for shrinkage) and freeze for 2 months – defrost overnight in the fridge
Check date, but up to two years. Store opened cans in the fridge up to four months
Check date, but use each sachet within 48 hrs once opened. Store opened cans in the fridge up to four months
April 2015
Bread machines We tested 12 in the Good Food kitchen, baking a plain white loaf in each. These three stood out from the crowd.
DRIED EASY BAKE
Also sold as
Anything else added?
ON TEST
bbcgoodfood.com
Kenwood Rapid Bake Breadmaker, £89.50, johnlewis.com
GOOD VALUE
The loaf from this machine rose noticeably better than others and was very evenly baked. The machine itself is simple to use, and has helpful timer settings to keep bread warm or be ready at a precise time. We like the appearance, plus it’s reasonably priced.
Panasonic Stainless Steel Breadmaker, £124.99, currys.co.uk There was a bit of a buzz HIGH about this machine at the SPEC beginning of the year, so we were keen to try it. It has 10 loaf settings, a fast bake time and 13-hour delay option for perfectly timed fresh bread. It uses an in-built dispenser to add the yeast at the ideal time, which gives a very good rise. It’s fairly expensive, but worth the money if you make bread regularly.
HANDY SIZE
My Kitchen Compact Breadmaker, £59.99, lakeland.co.uk
At just 25cm tall, this is 13cm smaller than the other two. It still has all the bells and whistles we wanted though – 11 bread settings and a warming timer. It makes a 1lb loaf, which should be more than enough for your daily packed lunch sandwiches.
‘Bread machines are great for the frst “prove” but I prefer to shape by hand’ Barney Desmazery, Senior food editor
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Storecupboard heroes Flour
Which bags deserve space on your shelves? Jane Hornby makes the case for some familiar friends and unusual alternatives – including gluten-free Photographs SAM STOWELL
Buckwheat
GLUTEN FREE
Don’t let the name deceive you – buckwheat is entirely wheat-free and glutenfree, and comes from a plant in the rhubarb family, historically grown in areas too hostile to sustain other cereals. The greyish four is easily substituted for plain four but has a nutty, slightly sour/bitter favour – so I prefer to mix it half-and-half with another white or gluten-free four, or ground almonds. Buckwheat also goes well with spices, brown sugar or coffee. It is brilliant in blinis and drop scones, and adds interest to pasta and pizza dough.
Spelt Called the ‘marching grain’ by the Romans for its energy-giving protein content, spelt was somewhat forgotten as farming techniques changed and wheat became easier to grow. It’s back in fashion now as a full-favour grain with a different gluten structure that is, for some, easier to digest than wheat gluten. A hybrid of an ancient wheat grain and grass, spelt has a complex, slightly sour rye-like favour. Try mixing white spelt half-and-half with plain four to lift your recipe out of the ordinary. Wholegrain spelt is available too.
Gram
GLUTEN FREE
Gram, sometimes labelled ‘chana’ or ‘besan’ four, is made from small dried, ground chickpeas, which in their split, dried form are called chana dhal. This fne, gluten-free four feels more granular than wheat four and makes wonderful, tasty fatbreads, fail-safe batters for deep-frying (think pakoras and bhajis), and can thicken soups and stews. Gram has a higher protein content than most other fours (about 22 per cent), which gives it a slightly eggy consistency – some vegan recipes use it as an egg substitute.
Granary Granary four is strong (see Strong, opposite), with a slightly knobbly texture. It has a toasty, caramel taste that bakes to a rich golden colour and crust. Granary is a trademarked name, but similar fours are available, usually described as ‘malted’. Malting is a process where grains are soaked, sprouted and oven-roasted, which changes the sugars inside the grain to maltose, hence the malty favour. Granary four is all-wheat, whereas other malted fours may contain a combination of wheat, barley and rye.
‘00’ Double zero refers to the way millers grade four in Italy, ‘00’ being the fnest grade, feeling a little like baby powder. Italian ‘00’ four is made with durum wheat, which is usually used for pasta. However, you can use ‘00’ four to make crisp pizza dough and other breads in place of strong four (but you may need to increase the liquid in the recipe). It’s sometimes used in biscuits and bakes, but it’s best to follow a recipe rather than freestyle with this four.
Cornfour
GLUTEN FREE
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Food styling XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Made from maize, this naturally gluten-free four is ideal for thickening sauces, creating crispy coatings on deep-fried food and can also improve your baking. Try replacing 1-2 tbsp four with cornfour in light recipes such as Swiss roll or pound cake. This reduces the protein content of the four. If you encounter ‘cake four’ in an American recipe, use a mix of 80 per cent plain four and 20 per cent cornfour instead. Do not use UK ‘sponge’ four, as this contains raising agents.
bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Cook school How to choose
Store with care
It’s worth buying good-quality four for baking, so go for a supermarket premium or well-known brand, rather than a ‘basic’ four. For sourdough, we recommend stone-ground four for the best result. Grinding four the old way, between millstones rather than metal rollers, prevents the grain from overheating, which affects its nutritional qualities and means it won’t keep so well.
Keep fours in a cool, dry place. Reseal the bag once opened, or transfer to a sealed container. It can be hard to detect when raw four has passed its best, so follow use-by dates closely to avoid spoiled bakes. In general, white four will last 6-9 months, wholegrains less – as they contain more fats that can turn rancid. You’ll need to replace self-raising flour more frequently than plain, as the raising agents in it deteriorate over time.
Strong Otherwise labelled as ‘bread’ four, this is a must-have for making bread and also good for pasta. With a protein content of around 12 per cent, this four allows the dough to stretch as it rises, trapping the air created as the bread ferments and then setting around the bubbles as it bakes. Extra-strong bread four, which has 14 per cent protein, is useful for rye or wholemeal doughs, helping them to keep a good shape.
Rye If you like bread dark and tangy, then don’t be shy with the rye. This characterful four gives a distinct acid density to any bread – try swapping a few tablespoons of white four for rye and a simple loaf will take on new complexity and an impressive crust. Dark rye is wholemeal four, whereas light rye has less fbre and will make a less hefty loaf. Both are usually mixed with wheat. Rye by itself is not gluten-free.
Rice
GLUTEN FREE
This is simply fnely ground white or brown rice, with a sweet but neutral favour. It adds a satisfying crunch to shortbread and biscuits, and lightness to cakes. Then there’s the fun of making rice paper wrappers, rice noodles and appams – little spongy pancakes popular in south India. Rice four is a main constituent in gluten-free four blends.
Wholemeal This contains 100 per cent of the grain, producing a fairly coarse four that can be either ‘plain’ or ‘strong’. The wheat germ and bran layer add colour and a nutty favour, but they impair the formation of gluten, so the resulting bread has a closer texture and less of a rise. Not to be confused with brown four, which is wholemeal four with some of the bran removed, containing about 85 per cent of the grain. If you replace white four with wholemeal or brown, the recipe will need more liquid.
White – plain and self-raising Traditionally the go-to four for pastries, biscuits, batters and some cakes, plain four is made from ground wheat, and contains about 75 per cent of the whole grain. With a low protein content of around 10 per cent, plain four is best for cakes and short pastry, biscuits and crumbles. Self-raising four is plain four with added baking powder for easy cake making. If you run out of it, add 1 tsp of baking powder per 100g of plain four, and mix well.
Teff
GLUTEN FREE
Food styling JANE HORNBY | Styling LUIS PERAL
This tiny grain, packed with protein, calcium and vitamin C, is the primary cereal in Ethiopia and cooked whole or ground to a four to make injera – big, crumpet-like fatbreads. Now grown around the world, teff is gluten-free, grey-brown or a paler ivory (depending on the variety), and is always wholegrain. It has a nutty, sweet aroma and a hint of chocolate as it bakes. Try it in pancakes, brownies, chocolate cakes, banana bread and cookies.
April 2015
bbcgoodfood.com
What is gluten? When four mixes with water, its proteins – glutenin and gliadin – form gluten. This is what gives dough its structure and stretch. Flour with high gluten content is known as ‘strong’ and comes from ‘hard’ wheat. Lower gluten fours are ‘soft’. The more a four is mixed or kneaded, the more gluten is formed.
COMING NEXT MONTH Oils
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From your kitchen We love to hear from you! Email
[email protected] or write to the address, below right Hungry for more
Yolk). But then I joined another Assembly in Hackney Wick as a customer – and it’s changed the way my boyfriend and I do our weekly shop. Laura Marten, London Laura wins 12 bottles of Villa Maria Private Bin Gewürztraminer 2013 (£10.99, Waitrose). This white wine has classic aromas of rose petal, lychee and spice. Visit villamariaestate.co.uk.
GET THE BEST FROM OUR RECIPES Every month, we provide all the information you’ll need to help you choose which Good Food recipes to cook All the recipes in Good Food magazine are tested thoroughly before publication, so they’ll work frst time for you at home. Most are developed in our Test Kitchen by our cookery team, with additional recipes from food writers, TV chefs or cookery books. However, no matter who writes the original recipe, each one is tested rigorously before being included in the magazine. Your time and money are precious, so we want to guarantee you a great result every time.
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I have subscribed to Good Food since the early 1990s, so am now nearing my long service award! As a war baby, I lived with my mum and sister while Dad served with the RAF in Singapore. We didn’t have electricity or gas, the loo was in the garden, and we had baths in a tin tub in front of the fre. Life during rationing was not easy for Mum, but she was a very good cook and I still make some of her recipes today. I stopped buying recipe books years ago. Who needs them when Good Food magazine arrives through your letter box every month! After all these years together, I still look forward to my magazine and usually cook something from each issue. Ian Lovell, Southampton
Developing and testing Good Food recipes • We aim to make recipes practical, keeping ingredients lists to a minimum and avoiding lengthy preparation. • We help you to avoid waste by using full packs, cans and jars where possible. When it’s not possible, we try to include suggestions for leftovers. • We cost many of our Everyday dishes to help you budget effciently. • We generally use easily available ingredients, and seasonal fruit and vegetables. • Where possible, we create and test recipes using humanely reared meats, free-range chickens and eggs, and sustainably sourced fsh. • We use unrefned sugars, such as golden caster sugar, which contain natural molasses, unless we want icing to look white. • Where egg size is important, you’ll fnd it stated in the recipe. • We recommend using standard level measuring spoons, and that you never mix metric and imperial measures.
My Chocolate peppermint shooting star cake (Dec 2014) helped us bring in the New Year. Katie Worfolk, Leeds
I made the Blood orange, blossom & pomegranate cake (Feb) for my wife’s birthday. It tasted as good as it looked. David Leatham, Brighton
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I read Joanna Blythman’s article (Feb) STAR about the way LETTER we buy food with interest as I also recently changed the way I shop. I joined a Food Assembly (thefoodassembly.com/en) – an idea that originated in France, where they are hugely popular. After joining a local Assembly (there are 20 in the UK), you can see all the producers and all the produce available that week on the website. The pre-sale lasts for one week, during which you can add anything to your basket. The sale ends the night before collection date and everything is prepaid online, so producers know exactly how much to bring and there’s no fddling around with cash on the day. You get to choose fantastic seasonal produce and support local business; the farmers and producers get a fair price. I originally joined my local Assembly as a producer (I run a small cake company called
Here’s my attempt at baking Nancy Birtwhistle’s Celebration piñata cake (Jan), which I made for my fnal day at work. Everyone thought it looked and tasted great. I also made two mini cakes from the leftover centres, which I iced for my neighbours and friends. Caroline Guest, Essex
Please note that recipes created for Advertisement features are checked by our cookery team but not tested in the Good Food Test Kitchen.
Helping you to eat well All our recipes are analysed by a nutritional therapist on a perserving basis. Each recipe analysis includes listed ingredients only, excluding optional extras such as seasoning and serving suggestions. Simple changes can make a recipe healthier – such as removing chicken skin after cooking, or using a low-salt stock. If you serve the portion size suggested, you can work out how each recipe fts into your day-to-day diet by comparing the fgures with the Reference Intake (RI). This has replaced Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) on food labels and packaging. Unlike the GDAs, where fgures existed for men, women and children, there is now only one set of RI fgures – these are effectively the GDA fgures for an average adult female.
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Reference Intake (RI) The RIs are a guide to the amount of energy (kilocalories), fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt that an adult should consume each day: Energy 2,000 kcals, Protein 50g, Carbohydrates 260g, Sugar 90g, Fat 70g, Saturates 20g, Salt 6g. The RIs for fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt are maximum daily amounts.
What our recipe symbols mean EASY Simple recipes that everyone can make, even beginners. A LITTLE EFFORT Requiring a little more skill – such as making pastry. MORE OF A CHALLENGE Recipes aimed at more experienced cooks, who cook for pleasure and like a challenge. Suitable for vegetarians But always check labels on ingredients such as cheese, pesto and curry sauces, to ensure they are suitable. Not suitable for freezing Suitable for freezing Unless otherwise stated, freeze for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly and heat until piping hot.
April 2015
I made the Ultimate toad-in-the-hole with caramelised onion gravy (Feb) with my daughter. We loved it. Lisa Newton, South Wales
READER RECIPE Easter egg rocky road EASY
This is my son, Louis, 12, who loves baking. He made Granny’s Victoria sponge from bbcgoodfood.com with his nana. Darren McCubbin, London
Recipe photograph SAM STOWELL | Food styling JANE HORNBY | Styling LUIS PERAL
CALCIUM
FOLATE FIBRE VIT C IRON OMEGA-3
Indicating recipes that are good sources of vitamins or nutrients. GLUTEN FREE This indicates a recipe that is free from gluten, but excludes any serving suggestions. Also look out for our Make it Gluten-Free tips, where we suggest how you can cook the dish without using gluten. For more information on glutenfree cooking, visit coeliac.org.uk. • We regret that we are unable to answer medical/nutritional queries. • For thousands more of our tested recipes, visit bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
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12g or less per serving. Low in saturated fat, with 5g or less per serving; low in salt, with 1.5g or less; and low in sugar, with 15g or less. HEART HEALTHY Low in saturated fat, with 5g or less per serving; low in salt, with 1.5g or less; and high in omega-3. LOW CAL 500 calories or less per main course; 150 calories or less for a dessert. 2 OF 5 A DAY The number of portions of fruit and/or veg contained in a serving.
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This magazine is owned by BBC Worldwide and produced on its behalf by Immediate Media Co. London Limited. © Immediate Media Company London Limited, 2015. BBC Worldwide’s profts are returned to the BBC for the beneft of the licence-fee payer. BBC Good Food provides trusted, independent advice and information that has been gathered without fear or favour. When receiving assistance or sample products from suppliers, we ensure our editorial integrity and independence are not compromised by never offering anything in return, such as positive coverage, and by including a brief credit where appropriate. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the prices displayed in BBC Good Food. However, they can change once we go to print. Please check with the appropriate retailer for full details. Printed by Polestar Chantry. The text paper for BBC Good Food is printed on 65gsm Galerie Bright and the cover is printed on 170gsm Royal Roto, produced by Sappi Paper. It is elementally chlorine free and coated with china clay produced in the UK. Immediate Media Company is working to ensure that its paper is sourced from well-managed forests. This magazine can be recycled. Please dispose of it at your local collection point.
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Understanding our healthy symbols
When my daughter, Niamh, was born just over two years ago, I suffered from post-natal depression and stopped cooking altogether. With the support of my doctor, family and friends, I got better and now spend my weekends bonding with my daughter. She loves looking through your magazine and we cook a recipe every week. This time we made the Easter chocolate bark (March). As you can see, I let her lick the spatula afterwards. Jemma Turton, Nottingham
Zara Gilford, a travel agent, lives in Middlesex with her 25-year-old daughter, Lauren. She created these rocky road bars for Lauren one Easter, about 12 years ago. When Zara isn’t booking other people’s holidays, she loves to explore different countries and learn about their cultures and cuisines.
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Thank you for the best Pancake Day ever. After ficking through some old issues, I found a recipe for Korean-style prawn & spring onion pancake (Aug 2014). It was fast, simple and delicious! Joanne Campbell, Nottinghamshire
MAKES 8-10 bars PREP 25 mins plus cooling and 1 hr chilling COOK 5 mins
FOOD T E
Test Kitchen verdict These chocolatey treats were deliciously crumbly and chewy. The dried cranberries add a slight sourness to cut through the sweetness of the marshmallows.
225g/8oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces 100g/4oz unsalted butter, cubed 2 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp golden syrup 100g/4oz rich tea biscuits 50g/2oz mini marshmallows 50g/2oz dried cranberries 200g/7oz chocolate mini eggs
1 Line a 20 x 30cm traybake tin with 2 sheets of cling flm (in a criss-cross pattern). Put the chocolate and butter in a large bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, and melt until smooth and glossy. 2 Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder and golden syrup. Mix together until fully combined and leave to cool at room temperature for about 15 mins. 3 Put the biscuits in a freezer bag and use a rolling pin to bash them, leaving some pieces chunkier than others. Stir into the cooled chocolate with the marshmallows, cranberries and 150g of the mini eggs. 4 Pour the mix into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon until even. Scatter over the remaining mini eggs, pressing them in a little, and leave to set in the fridge for 1 hr. 5 Remove from the tin and cut into bars to serve. Will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container. PER BAR (10) energy 399 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 14g • carbs 39g • sugars 29g • fibre 4g • protein 4g • salt 0.2g
How to contact us
SHARE YOUR RECIPES AND WIN A PRIZE
Email us at enquiries@bbcgood foodmagazine.com Write to BBC Good Food, Immediate Media Company Limited, Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, Hammersmith, London W6 7BT.
Send your recipes to enquiries@bbcgoodfood magazine.com to the address (left) or tweet us @bbcgoodfood and you could win a prize. Zara wins Smeg’s Fifties-style TSF01 two-slice toaster, worth £99.99, in cream. Visit smeg50style.com/gb/ to see the whole range in a selection of bright and pastel hues.
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Canadian-born Anna, who grew up in New Zealand, trained with Fergus Henderson, then worked with Peter Gordon at The Sugar Club, in London. In 2001, Anna, Peter and partners opened their restaurant, The Providores. She opened her own venue, The Modern Pantry, in 2008.
Supper club host Sabrina, a British-Iranian cook and teacher, is known for her Persian and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes. Her frst cookbook, Persiana – Recipes from the Middle East and Beyond, was published to great acclaim last year and became a bestseller.
When I met Sabrina, she came up to me and said: ‘I love what you do. I want to know more about it.’ I had something she wanted to know about and she wasn’t embarrassed to ask me about it. That really appeals to me because I think we’re all too often the victims of self-restraint. I didn’t know much about her, but it turned out we had a mutual friend, Thane Prince, the food writer and TV presenter. We met up at Thane’s house, cooked together, had lunch and just got chatting – I really liked her. We came up with a collaboration where she hosted a series of pop-ups at The Modern Pantry. Her food is so vibrant. I was never a massive fan of slow-cooked food – I don’t cook a lot of it myself, because I don’t really know how. Sabrina does a lot of those slowcooked dishes, tagines and so on, but somehow she makes them really clean, different and fresh. She uses a lot of ingredients I’ve never heard of – weird cheese things in jars and stuff that, if I picked it up without her by my side, I probably would never have tried. With her food you don’t feel like you’ve been there before. I remember one of her dinners was so delicious – it was lamb with loads of cinnamon and apricots. I was astonished because you could taste everything so clearly, in its own right. That was such a revelation. Some of the food is crazy, such as her bejewelled rice. I was overwhelmed by how sweet and strong it was, with so many favours going on – but it all makes sense in a crazy way. She is a crazy lady, and I like crazy ladies!
I met Anna at an event for the Action Against Hunger charity. I remember her saying that her ex-mother-in-law was Iranian. She said: ‘Oh, I love Persian food!’ I didn’t know then that when you go into her kitchen at The Modern Pantry, there’s Persian stuff all over the place. She even keeps a special homemade Persian spice blend. We frst spent time cooking together at Thane Prince’s house. Anna said I should do a pop-up with her, and I was scared of the idea more than anything else – I’d never done a pop-up. However I’d just met my agent and she told me she needed to see what I was made of, and to go and do a pop-up somewhere. She wanted me to work with a chef and do something that would get a bit of attention. Anna let me host my Passage to Persia supper clubs at The Modern Pantry on Mondays and didn’t ask for anything from me. She was just happy to do it, and it was such fun. The Modern Pantry team are the nicest people, and that totally comes from the top. There’s Anna – really laid-back, with a ‘life’s too short’ attitude. She has the greatest head chef in Rob McCleary, and I will always have a special place in my heart for them. They helped me at a point in my career when I needed to do something and I didn’t know what. I think Anna knew before I did. She’s incredibly level-headed. I feel relaxed and happy when I’m around her. She makes me feel supported and inspires me. She’s so interested in ingredients, in food, in culture. She’s the student and the master rolled into one.
Anna’s second London site, The Modern Pantry, Finsbury Square, opens this month (themodernpantry.co.uk).
Sabrina and Anna in The Modern Pantry kitchen
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Anna Hansen
Sabrina Ghayour
Anna and Sabrina’s lively friendship is based on a shared curiosity about favours, cultures and people
Sabrina cooking, aged four (left); Anna, aged five, with her dad in Hauraki Plains, New Zealand;
‘Anna’s incredibly level-headed. I feel relaxed and happy around her. She makes me feel supported and inspires me’
Don’t miss next month’s
Visit sabrinaghayour.com for information on Sabrina’s monthly cookery classes in central London. Anna and Sabrina support Action Against Hunger (actionagainsthunger.org.uk).
on sale 30 April
Spiralizers on test • Spring chicken dishes • New vegetarian suppers • Garden centres with great cafés 146
bbcgoodfood.com
April 2015
Interviews DEBORA ROBERTSON
The food chain
